One of the most important decisions you'll make for your business Web site is selecting which Web hosting service will display your Web pages to the Internet.
So, what to look for?
Size of Pipeline. The host computer is connected to the Internet backbone typically by T1 and T3 lines. A T1 can carry up to 1.5 mbs (megabits per second), while a T3 can carry 45 mbs. Small ISP hosts sometimes have ISDN connections to the Internet, or "fractional T1" connections (part of a T1). Look for T3 if you can, though a T1 isn't close to its maximum capacity. The expense of installing an adequate pipeline to the Internet is the chief barrier to setting up your own Web server computer in your office; telephone and other charges are pretty stiff, unless they can be shared with other businesses. Another alternative to explore is "co-hosting" your computer at an ISP's location to take advantage of his connection to the Internet.
Number of clients per machine. Ask how many business clients are assigned to each of the ISP's computers. (Don't be surprised to find out that many good ISPs use fast Pentium computers rather than something more exotic.) You may not learn too much by asking this, but you do learn if the ISP has any policy limits at all.
Space. ISPs usually assign you a certain amount of space on their computer. 5 MB is plenty of space for the Web pages and graphics for most business Web sites. I once jammed nearly 800 files and graphics into 5 MB. But ask if mail, log files, and system programs are counted in the 5 MB; these can sometimes take up considerable space. Web hosts which include mail and log files in the count commonly offer 15 MB minimum.
CGI-bin Access. Business accounts need to be able to reference programs in a cgi-bin directory, which includes a cgi program which generates the e-mail message sent out by Web page forms. So long as a good forms-to-email program is available in the host's main cgi-bin, that may be all you need. If you or your Web site developer need to write custom programs, though, you'll need your own cgi-bin directory. But here's the problem. Most Web hosting ISPs allow FTP access to a cgi-bin directory but not Telnet access. This can significantly slow down programming development time. If you don't have Telnet access, for example, you won't be able to compile any programs written in C or C++. You have to rely on the ISP's technical support to do that for you -- when he gets around to it. ISPs say that limiting Telnet access helps them keep out hackers, which is true. But if it is at the cost of getting your Web site working, the cost may be too high. Ask: "Do you allow us Telnet access to a cgi-bin directory?"
Virtual Hosting. These days nearly every ISP offers what is called "virtual hosting" or a "virtual domain." This allows you to have your own domain name such as http://www.yourcompany.com rather than use your ISP's domain name with a subdirectory designating your site, such as http://www.isp.com/yourcompany/. You definitely want virtual hosting. Sometimes an ISP will offer something called a "vanity domain" such as http://yourcompany.isp.com. Don't bother. Pay $100 to register a real domain name, and consider that an investment in marketing your company on the Web.
E-Mail Aliases. Once you have a virtual domain, ask your ISP how many e-mail addresses you are allowed. Many ISPs allow you to set up multiple "aliases" such as
or
. Also ask if different aliases can be forwarded to more than one e-mail address. For example, I have a client with partners in Germany as well as offices in California, with e-mail aliases for each of them. For the smaller business, you probably don't need POP (Post Office Protocol) e-mail boxes on your Web hosting site. The POP e-mail box you have with your local access ISP is probably enough. But larger businesses may want to have multiple POP e-mail boxes at the Web hosting ISP.
Dependence. How free are you to choose another Web hosting ISP if this one doesn't work out? If your Web site developer provides hosting, what kinds of contracts lock you into using those services and for how long? So long as your name is listed as the "Administrative Contact" with InterNIC, you can transfer your domain to another ISP, though your previous ISP can slow down the process unless he cooperates. Make sure your Web site developer isn't listed as the Administrative Contact or it may be more difficult to switch to a new developer if the need arises.
Support. How many hours a day are technical support staff available? How quickly do they respond? How much help do they provide? If you need 24-hour technical support -- and larger companies and high-traffic Web sites do -- then expect to pay substantially more. People are much more expensive than machines