September 12, 2011
Questions to Ask Your Prospective Managed Hosting Provider
Managed hosting for your web site is an expensive proposition, even going with the most basic of packages. This is not a decision you are going to want to make just from scanning a company's web site for five minutes. You need to know a little more about the wiring under the board. The details of how your potential host works will make all the difference in the quality of web hosting you receive.
Most critical information will not be easily found publicly. Thus, let's explore a few questions you might want to consider asking of before opening a managed hosting account:
“Is your 24/7 support capable of handling complex server problems?”
While most providers will answer yes, some will only provide round-the-clock support for basic services, such as simple technical questions and web server reboots. You'll need to know if there is someone who will be able to reinstall a web site and flush out a virus that you got hit with at 4AM if it comes to it.
“Will you ask me to move my site if it comes under a persistent attack?”
This is only a problem if you are hosting a site that contains content of an informational capacity that others might find objectionable. In other words, if you are hosting something controversial in any way, you might find yourself under some type of attack, and these attacks can sometimes get pretty sophisticated and professional.
You need to push for a hard answer to this question. The answer you are looking for is “No, we would never ask you to leave just because you host a site that others object to, no matter how difficult it becomes technically.” You may need to force your prospective host into a position in which they'll have to admit that they might ask you to leave if your presence threatens their infrastructure too heavily. But don't automatically discount a host for that: see how honest and reasonable they are in their answer. The more fair the limits to their accommodations sound in their words, the more fairly they are likely to treat you.
“Will you offer me compensation if my site is destroyed and no backup is available?”
This is a very good litmus test. While some hosts may not get too specific about exactly what they will give you in such a case so that they don't box themselves in, you should look for some kind of solid answer “yes” to this question. Most providers will give you at least a month's compensation, but again don't push for numbers, just make sure you get an answer that convinces you that you will get at least some kind of insurance.
Don't be afraid to take the time to ask and get detailed answers to questions like these. There is a large gap between the quality of services provided for managed hosting as compared to shared hosting services. You don't want to settle for something in this area that feels cheap. You will want quality, and with the right questions, you can find it.
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