Small Business Web Hosting
When it comes to small business web hosting, there are dozens upon dozens of great hosting companies to choose from. Before deciding on one provider in particular, it is a good practice to flesh out exactly what will be needed for the new web site to work well and flourish.

There are a number of factors to consider – space requirements, bandwidth restrictions, database programs, and e-mail needs. Taking the time to do a bit of data gathering and a little math will save headaches and possible disasters down the road.

Web Space

Most small business web sites require no more than between 20 and 75 megabytes of total web space. This number is derived by the fact that the average web page runs about 50K in total size. Business owners should determine an approximation of how many web pages they feel would be created and then multiply this number by 50K. For good measure, double the total amount and the result will be the low end figure for how much total space will be required.

If there will be future plans for web site expansion, this should be taken into account as well. It is always preferable to have too much space than too little. An alternative solution is to check with potential web hosting providers on the fees and processes associated with upgrading to an account with more space, should it be required at a later date.

Monthly Bandwidth

The simplest way to ascertain exactly how much bandwidth may be required on a monthly basis is to know the approximate number of users that will be visiting the web site, the number of pages most likely to be perused by each visitor, and an average web page size of 50K. Multiply these numbers together and the end result is a low end figure for bandwidth. For example, if the online business expects 5,000 visitors each month, each visiting 20 pages, the result is 5 gigabytes in total bandwidth.

Realistically, the total monthly bandwidth will fluctuate heavily depending on many different factors. To be on the safe side, it is a good idea to plan on the high end of your estimations.

The Right Database

Choosing a database program is actually a two-fold process. The first part is knowing what types of programming will be needed within the web site. Some programming languages work best with MySQL while others connect with MSSQL. The operating system of the web hosting server will come into play as well. Only certain database programs will run on Windows OS servers and the same holds true for Linux OS servers.

MySQL is chosen more often than not simply due its ability to work with a large variety of different programming languages that connect to a database. Many popular web site programs utilize MySQL as well – Joomla, WordPress and osCommerce to name just a few.

E-mail Accounts

One of the final pieces of the web hosting puzzle to consider is what will be needed with regards to e-mail.

The number of e-mail accounts, forwarded accounts, autoresponders, and aliases needs to be factored in. Most web hosting providers allow for unlimited numbers of straight e-mail accounts. Another e-mail consideration to include is whether or not a mailing list program will be used. Some web hosting providers may not allow for this due to the strain it places on mail servers.

Conclusion

Before deciding on a web hosting provider, going into the fray armed with the proper information will make the choice a lot easier as well as ensure there are no regrets down the line. Allot for the proper amount of web space, the needed amount of monthly bandwidth, the proper database solution and e-mail requirements and narrowing down the web hosting provider choices to one will be a breeze.