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VPS stands for "Virtual Private Server". The term is used for emphasizing that the machine, although running in software on the same physical server as other customers' virtual servers, is functionally equivalent to a separate physical computer and is completely dedicated to the individual customer's needs. Summary
In this video Alastair explains some of the elements of the web hosting business, particularly the different tiers of hosting businesses and why it can pay off to be aware of which level your hosting provider is at.
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Hosting Companies We Use & Recommend
MediaLayer - who we host SelfAssemblySites with. A small company on the 2nd or 3rd tier but very committed to providing top quality technical solutions. Has server space in datacenters in New York, Dallas, California, Singapore and The Netherlands, possibly more. The downside is that they are very expensive, approximately 3 times more than the providers listed below. Summary: Far above average shared hosting performance, excellent support, but quite expensive. Highly recommended for medium to large businesses or if site performance is essential.
WestHost - our primary recommendation for most of our users. They were a smaller company who were acquired by UK2 who also run VPS.NET and several other hosting brands. All of their brands combined, they run over a million websites - economies that mean they're very competitive on the pricing front, but the small company atmosphere still comes across when dealing with their support desk. They also offer a 60 day money back guarantee, which is very appealing if it's your first time hosting a website. Summary: Average shared hosting performance, competitive pricing, excellent support. Highly recommended for small businesses and personal sites.
BlueHost - who we previously hosted SelfAssemblySites with. They were already a very large hosting company before being acquired in 2011 by Endurance International Group who also own iPage.com, FatCow.com, justhost.com, NetFirms, IPowerWeb, FastDomain, DomainHost, eHost, PureHost, and dozens of others hosting brands. We used to highly recommend BlueHost but we noticed more downtime after they were bought out by EIG and now we recommend them only if you have to have so-called "unlimited" disk space or bandwidth, or if you are looking to get your site hosted by one of the largest companies in the business, or if their competitive pricing appeals to you. Despite the downtime, the support was always very good - responsive and competent. Summary: Average shared hosting performance, competitive pricing, very good support.
HostGator is one of the best known hosting brands in internet marketing circles - they seem to have a better reputation within those circles than BlueHost. We've only hosted one site with Hostgator, and it was a very similar experience to BlueHost with better uptime. Support was responsive and prompt. We recommend them only if you have to have so-called "unlimited" disk space or bandwidth, or if the very competitive pricing appeals to you. Summary: Average hosting performance, very competitive pricing, good support.
Worth Watching
CutAboveHost.com Website Review is a review of a hosting company website, recommended viewing.