If you can answer 'yes' to the above questions, then you may be ready to host your own sites. This article will give you things to consider while changing.
When you have your own web host, you must be technically inclined and have basic knowledge of operating systems, understand technical terms, understand that setting up a server environment (e.g.: DNS, IIS, Apache, etc.) have basic knowledge of scripting languages and databases (PHP, Perl, MySQL, etc.), be familiar with current technologies, and have a basic understanding of hardware and server components.
You should realize that the pros and cons. It is one thing to say you want to host your own Web server and it is another thing to actually do it.
Pros:
- Own sense of responsibility
- Danger level raised (you are on the frontline of all server happenings)
- No monthly hosting fees / accounts
- Incompetence no longer exists
- Non-shared environment (dedicated server)
- Unlimited websites, databases, content storage, etc.
- More bandwidth
- No more waiting for a second time
- Complete control
Cons:
- Exhausting at times
- Faced with server / hardware problems
- ISP business account (monthly business / broadband bill)
- If the server goes down so the site is offline
- No technical support team
- Software, hardware and network costs
There could be many more pros and cons, but we have highlighted some of the major ones. Administration of a web server starts as a full time job, you must constantly monitor the performance and safety. Thi
s can sometimes be an exhausting task, especially if you have other responsibilities. But the controls you want on your site and its performance is rewarding enough. You no longer need to wait for technical support or approval to install a script on the server. You can have as many websites and databases you want, as long as your hardware can handle it. You no longer need to engage in discussion forums and search for the best web host or rant about how much you hate your current host. You can even begin hosting family and friends personal websites.
Ask yourself, how technically advanced are you? Many times, you need not be a tech guru or anything of the sort, but you must be very creative. You should know how to find resolutions and answers to problems quickly and efficiently. This means you must be internet savvy. Not just the average surfer, who surfs aimlessly, but you must be the surfer who can always find what they're looking for. This is crucial, because with any server environment, you will run into problems and find the answers are most accomplished online, using multiple resources, search techniques, and engines. Sure, you can hire someone to solve your problems, but we should have learned from "web hosting", having someone do it for you is not always the best solution. Here is a test to see if you are ready to find solutions. We need a solution on a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Event Error - "Event ID: 1056" It is a DHCP Server Error. How will you apply? Go ahead find the solution.
Did you first go to Google? If you did, it was a nice effort and common for most, plus a good place to start, but usually it is best to start at the developers' website. In this case "microsoft.com" would have been the first opportunity. Why? Google will most likely give you the answer from Microsoft and other sources, but you do not want to get wrong information from other sources. It is customary to obtain information from Microsoft, which does not specifically resolve your problem, but the developer should always be your first place to look for the answers. Now search the error again and go for the Microsoft website and find the solution.
You should had found this link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb; en-us; 282001 (Event ID 1056 is logged after installing DHCP)
What search phrase did you use? It should have been Event ID: 1056, because the Event ID is the exact error, it points to your exact problem without broadening your search. Sometimes the error description is also appropriate to search, just the error description by itself or in combination with the Event ID. It depends on your error, your search feedback, your ability and technique. For this example, we do not include the error description.
Google or Yahoo! should have been your second option (the two largest search engines). Then look for other smaller and niche search engines. A good search site which makes use of Google's operator tags is www.soople.com. Next you should search within forums and discussion groups. If you are pretty internet savvy and have a plentiful or few forums and discussion groups, you often will you actually be able to visit those places before visiting Google or Yahoo!. You can also visit them before you visit the developer site since it is a reliable source, but we would not recommend it, we would still go to the developers' site first. Okay, so now we have planted our feet and have taught us to be the Internet (search) savvy. We are ready to buy a server!
When making a server purchase you need to consider a few things before you do. What to buy? A top of the line, quadruple processor, and super fast turbo server is always perfect, but many times it is not logical or affordable. Therefore you have to weigh your options (sensibly).
What to buy?
First determine your budget. Be realistic and expect to spend at least $ 2500 for a low-end server. For a low-end, quality server with other necessary equipment and services, we spent just over $ 4500 easily.
Determine your ISP (broadband) provider. Research and speak with several different vendors before deciding which broadband solution best suit your needs. Each provider plan is different and has different benefits, determine the best to suit your needs. Bandwidth should be taken into consideration when choosing your ISP.
A backup device should be purchased before implementing a server install. The backup device should be double the server storage space. This could be a freestanding unit as an external hard drive or network storage device or backup equipment may be several units, such as: backup tapes, disc, etc. The reason for the backup device should be larger because you will be able to have months worth of backups and not just weekly or monthly backups. You must have at least 24 weeks of backups without concern for storage space. The backup device or safe deposits should also be external, removable, and portable. This is so the backups can be stored in a remote location. Normally, the storage, in case of theft or disaster.
Determine your daily traffic goal (the daily traffic which you hope to see within 1 year? C be realistic), divide that figure by the daily traffic you receive at the moment, and then multiplying that figure by the 5th It is the total number of GB space you need.
Example:
Daily Traffic Goal: 10,000 (Divided by) current daily traffic: 500 (Times X) 5 = 100GB
In the example, you should buy a 100 GB hard drive, it is best to buy 2 or more drives oppose to 1 In this case, since 50GB drives do not exist or harder to find, you'd buy two 60GB drives giving you a total of 120 GB. 2 or more drives are usually needed for a server to configure the proper RAID option, in some cases 3 or more are needed. Your backup storage space should be a minimum capacity of 200GB (or 240GB, optional).
Determine your memory. If your web server daily traffic goal is 500,000 then we would recommend at least 2 GB worth of memory. If it is a shared server, which means that it also has other server services running on the machine, especially a mail server or database server (not recommended) then your memory should be at least 3 GB or more. Otherwise, you think small and upgrade as needed, a 1GB Memory Stick to be fine for starters.
Determine your network components, which NIC card best performs under high traffic and which router best performs for your LAN / web server. It is best to get a router that has a built-in firewall (commonly known as a? Hardware firewall?). Your ISP may provide you with a router or hardware firewall, this is how they are able to authorize your traffic on their networks. Like a cable box is not for cable television. The router also shares your IP address with other clients on the network. This allows you to share your internet connection without getting a second IP from your ISP. Hardware firewall is simply a router with a built-in firewall, which means it shares your IP address and provides extra protection for your network. It blocks bad addresses and ports at the forefront, before it can even make it to your computer. It is recommended not to rely only on a hardware firewall for security, it is only the first step. It is also recommended to include a software firewall (firewall software which installs on your computer) and it is recommended to continue timely security practices, such as updating and patching your system on a scheduled routine.
Determine your processor speed and power. Whatever the amount of traffic you expect we would recommend a dual processor or greater. A dual-processor or greater is best because if your website unexpectedly take-off you will be well prepared and if you host other server options or websites on the same server, so you get better performance. At the time of writing 64-bit platform is the processor direction. 3.8GHz is the most available speed. If your pockets can afford the latest technologies, so that is ideal, but remember at this time a 64-bit compatible processor is not needed, without having many applications that require or deliver on this platform. It is a lot of speed going no where fast. Also remember the power of 64-bit platform and the greater processing speed the more heat it produces, and therefore must be cooled much more quickly and efficiently. At this time a dual 32-bit, 2.8GHz? C 3.2 GHz processor will probably (though it is far more than enough). But if your pockets can afford it as the latest and greatest would be fine, you'll be well prepared. Otherwise, like most people and upgrade when the time comes.
Make sure you have a CD / RW drive. A floppy drive is not necessary, but we recommend it for making system restore disk. CD / RW drive is needed because you need some form of removable storage device. You never know when you have to install a driver from another location? As an ethernet driver. An external CD / RW drive is the best solution, especially if you have multiple machines.
Select your operating system carefully. Choose the vendor you are most comfortable with. Do not choose a Mac if you have never used a MAC before. Just because your friend suggests it and says it is a piece of cake does not mean it will be for you. You try to get a web server online not re-learn a completely new system. Stay focused and grounded. If you are familiar with Microsoft then go with Microsoft, regardless of whether the IT person at your job says Microsoft products are insecure, Linux or Unix is more secure and much better for a web server. If you have never used Linux or (especially) Unix then you will be a trip of your life. Your web server experience will soon become a nightmare, and you will have wasted thousands of dollars on equipment. Go with what you know, not what you're told. Each platform has its pros and cons: Microsoft is a user-friendly of them all; Mac is web / graphic developer of them all, Linux is the open-source/developers haven for them all, Unix is the most secure of them all. Each of them can be tweaked in ways to provide a solid, quality platform, it is best to stick to what you already know.
You must install on your system all the web services (such as: Apache, IIS, etc.), applications (such as: backup device software, RAID (Array) Manager), scripting languages (like PHP, Perl, etc.) CGI, Database (such as: MySQL, Microsoft SQL, etc.), and a web log analyzer (such as: weblog expert nihuo, etc.). It is also recommended to perform system updates, security patches, and firewall installs and configurations. It is sometimes best to leave the security installs and configurations for after you have the system functioning properly to avoid any uncalculated problems. This way, when you install the firewall and something stops working properly like connecting to your site without your network, try to assume that it is the firewall, therefore you would begin by opening port 80 on your firewall. This method can save you a lot of hassle, but can sometimes be considered as non-secure method, especially if you do not have a hardware firewall already in place.
Then there are a few things to consider before installing and configuring a server. How to say it? A secluded, cool location is ideal, but if this can not be implemented so that adjustments can be made.
How to say it?
Find a place in your home that is static-free, we do not want to put the server on the carpet, near curtains or anything that can produce a static pressure. The reason for this is that you do not want the server internal components to receive a static charge and short circuit.
The location must be a cool environment, preferably below room temperature. The reason for a cool area is because servers (as well as desktop computers) produce large quantities of heat, the more heat it produces more needs to cool down. If the server is not kept cool, so it can lead to the server hanging and then eventually crashing. It is the same result of when a car overheats, it stops running. You can keep a server internal components cool by keeping the room cool, additionally you can add more fans to the server which cools the server internal components, you can also place a standalone fan directly on the server back panel and constantly have the fan cool the server internal components. Depending on how cool your room is and how much heat your server produces, can have more fans for your server to be a must and not an option.
It is proposed that the server is at a higher level in your house (mid-floor), because if it is in the basement, and a flood occurs it could ruin it. If it is in the attic and the sun beams on the ceiling for hours the server could overheat. Mid-floor level is usually the cooler place within the home, but these recommendations are voluntary, and you must put the server in the most comfortable and convenient space following the rest of the guidelines.
Be sure the area you choose is not damp or wet (no leaks, moisture, near liquids or near a window? Especially open?). We all know what can happen when electrical components get wet.
The server should sit at least 4 inches from the ground
Make sure an electrical outlet that is near. It is important to have a power supply, a good brand is APC. Have a power supply can save yourself from electrical outages, blackouts and brown outs. Has a power supply helps the server keep its power, remain stable, and unaffected when there is an outcome, and it protects your server against electrical shock. If your success is still more than 5 minutes is recommended to begin backing up anything deemed important and close the computer down voluntarily as well as any other electrical attached devices.
Have a LAN line near and also a telephone jack (if you plan to use the server for a dial-up services). It is recommended not to use your web service with a dialup connection. A broadband connection or greater is recommend for optimal performance. LAN line should never come from your wall and connect directly to your server, it plugs into a hardware firewall (usually a router with a built-in firewall).
Depending on the size of the server and the internal components the server may be very noisy and loud, especially with fans yesterday. It is proposed to cause the server to a remote place, not near the peaceful area of the house, such as: bedroom.
These are all some basic things to consider before hosting your own server. Hosting your own server is not an easy task, but once you've had some time and experience with it, it becomes a breeze. You will get a better web hosting experience, you will be more in harmony and depending to your customers and you will have greater professional competence. Host your own web server is rewarding, useful, and allows you to host unlimited websites, databases, services etc.
If your web traffic becomes too large for your server, so it is recommended to choose an offsite web host. It is recommended to buy a dedicated server with a quality web host. If you choose a server with the above recommendations then your server traffic should be fine for at least up to 25,000,000 page views a month. It could be higher or lower depending on your operating system, your server configuration, performance, applications and services. The point is that you should be well able to purchase dedicated server space by the time your traffic gets too high, because if you get anything close to 1,000,000 page views a month, you should have some competitive advertising or ecommerce income. And plus, with the knowledge you gain from the experience, you will be able to support your own server on a dedicated server (remote) location, thus cutting more overhead.
The main disadvantage is hosting your own web server is the uptime reliability. If your web server powers down for any reason then your website is offline. Usually web hosting companies have methods and networks to prevent this error affect your site. Normally, if the system goes down, they have a mirror location where your site is rejuvenated and doesn’t experience much downtime. Some hosts do not practice this method or any other fault tolerance. Imagine if a blackout or power outage occurs, then your server may be down for several hours or even days, this may affect your business significantly. There are some hosting companies that provide mirror web hosting for a small fee, we haven? T found one that is dependable yet. Or you can cross your fingers and hope for the best until you are able to host your server outside your home on a larger network.
Hosting your own server usually is not a money-saving experience. It sometimes cost more to host your own server, when you total the up keep and maintenance. The advantage of hosting your own server is usually a better platform for your customers, because it is no longer a shared server and it allows you to make global changes almost immediately. When your customers want more performance or specific programs, you will be able to implement this immediately. Customers want to know that you are in control. If you tell your customers that the server will be down for maintenance from 6? C 7 so it would be best if it is when the server is down, not from 5? C 10 You know how your web host will tell you one thing and then you have to try to explain it to your customer. Ultimately it will benefit you to host your own web server as a Web business, this helps you and your customers.
