For Pay Or For Free

This is the first question you need to ask yourself when selecting a web server. Of course, you'd like to have a server for free, but there's a little more to it than just money. Free servers are generally a little slower with a little more downtime than "for pay" servers.

Free servers also offer fewer "backend" amenities like databases and credit card validation. In fact, free servers generally won't let you run a for profit site on their server without charging you.

A free server is the best choice for someone beginning in web development. They're a great place to put a site built with the fundamentals -- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Your first hobby pages should probably go on a free server. Your Internet Service Provider (like AOL or Prodigy) may already have some server space set aside for you as part of your regular ISP account.

If you are developing a large, commercial site, it's well worth the money to get a commercial server that will have the services your site requires. Trying to run a commercial site in an underground manner on a free server usually ends in disaster.

Free Servers

There are some really good free servers out there. This site is hosted by one of them. The bills are paid by a banner advertisement that the server places at the top of each page. (Give these guys a visit.) Most have a "for pay" option to remove these ads.

Don't cuss this advertising because it makes the free servers possible. If you choose one of these servers check on two things: how they place the advertising and what the limits on content are. Most free servers place a banner ad at the top of your pages. You'll need to take this in consideration when designing and laying out your page design. This can really screw up frames.

Most free servers will not allow you to run a business site on their server. They are also much pickier about things like adult or radical content. If you're making an adult or revolutionary site, look for a server that specializes in hosting these types of sites.

Space

Find out how much space the server is offering. This is usually easy to find out. Server space is measured in megabytes (MB) and the more, the better. This is the amount of room you'll have for your uploaded files (pages, images, etc.).

My first site (about the game Hardwar) was less than 2 MB when initially uploaded and is now over 28 MB. I've had to move it twice. Get at least 20 MB of space for starters.

Speed

How fast do pages load on the server? Most servers have a main page where they pitch their services. Somewhere on this page will be a link to some of the hosted sites. Visit these sites and see how quickly they load. Keep in mind that graphics slow a page's loading down considerably. This isn't the server's fault.

Visit several pages and pay special attention to how quickly pages load that don't have too many graphics. Check your connection and make sure there's a steady stream of data running between your machine and the site hosted by the server you're testing. If there are too many pauses in a page download, you might want to look elsewhere.

FTP Uploading

Don't settle for anything less than being able to upload your pages via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Some servers offer "web development tools" and you're expected to make your site using only these tools. The page is coded directly on the server, not on your machine.

The servers that operate like this have sites that pretty much look alike. There is little flexibility and no opportunity for you to use your coding skills. Avoid these servers like the plague.

Check the links on the server's main page to see how files are uploaded to the server. FTP is fast and reliable. Don't settle for less. Learn how to set up and transfer files with FTP here.

Uptime

You could also look at this as "downtime". How often is the server down for repair or maintainence? The server will probably give you a percentage of uptime. Don't trust them. The best way to find out about real uptimes is to write some of the webmasters that use the server.

Go to the server's main web page and find a link to some of the sites they host. Go to these sites and look for an email address. Write a couple of these webmasters and ask them about the server's uptime and their general satisfaction with the server.

"Backend" Support

Backend support does things like process form data you collect from viewers, validate credit cards, and manage databases. More and more servers are not letting webmasters write their own code (usually CGI scripts in Perl) and run it on their site. Instead, the servers provide their own backend services for your use.

This ain't all bad. You don't have to worry with coding and debugging CGI scripts or coding a database. You can just use the services provided by your web server. They'll have a page somewhere to show you how to implement their backend services.

Most "hobby" sites don't need any backend support. Commercial sites would want form processing, database access, and maybe credit card validation. Decide what you need and make sure your server either has the backend support you need or will allow you to link to outside support for these services.

Be wary of servers that insist you use only their backend services. This prevents you from shopping around for better deals.

Even free servers offer some backend services. One of the more common is a CGI script that will automatically email you data from a form on your site. These can be handy if all you need to make a small, manual database.

What's important is that you know what type of backend services you need and if the server either supports them or supports your linking to outside resources. It's also important that the server have readily available and clear instructions on how to use their services.

Again, for beginners, don't worry about this so much. You won't need any of this except maybe a CGI script to email you some data from a form on your site.

Help

Check the servers "Help" section. This should be linked on their main page and easy to get to. Topics should include FTP uploading, how to use any offered backend services, and help with managing your account if you, say, lose your password.

Evaluating A Server

The first thing I do when I'm checking out a server is to visit their main page on the web. The first thing I look for is how much space they offer and what this costs, if anything. Secondly, I make sure that the server supports FTP uploading (almost all do) by finding their "Help" seciton.

I'll browse the help section to see what backend services they offer, too. If it's a free server that puts advertising on client sites, I want to know where these ads will be placed (generally a banner at the top of each page).

Finally, I'll look for a list of some hosted sites and visit these sites. I'm looking for how quickly pages download and for email addresses. I'll write a few webmasters and ask them what they think about the server, particularly uptime and speed.

If things look good, I'll get an account and try the server out. If you are paying for server space, don't sign any long-term contracts initially. Ask for a trial period or try to get a 90 day contract. This is usually enough time to pick up on any major problems that the server has. During this trial period, try out everything. If you're not satisfied to the fullest, leave. There are plenty of other servers who'd be happy to host your site.

This also means that you shouldn't be too enthusiastic about promoting your site. Wait until you've got a good server and won't be moving anytime soon.