Blue Hue - Simple. Sensible. Effective.

Selecting a Hosting Partner
by Michael Anderson, Blue Hue

If you have ever launched a web site and needed a place to host it, you already know how many hosting companies are out there. Some advertise web site hosting for only a few dollars a month. This can be a great deal if you are simply launching a site as "brochure-ware", and uptime is not a bit concern.

However, if you are like most companies, the web plays a critical role in your business. You might be selling products or services online, hosting an intranet site for your resellers, or capturing qualified sales leads. If your business relies on your web site, ask yourself:

"What happens if my site goes down?"

"How will site downtime affect my business success?"

If your answer is anything more than "it's a slight annoyance", you don't just need a hosting company, you need a hosting partner.

So, what should you look for in a hosting partner?

Data Center
When selecting a hosting partner verify that the data center has backup power, network redundancy, strict security procedures, and adequate bandwidth. In addition, does your hosting partner have full control over their infrastructure if something goes wrong or do they have to wait for someone else to resolve a problem?

Expertise
If a hosting company has solid infrastructure, the next "weakest link" is in the applications, databases, and operating systems. You can have the best infrastructure in the world, but if your web sites or applications experience problems, you need a partner who has the expertise to help you troubleshoot and resolve these problems immediately. It is important to clearly understand the skill sets and the depth of expertise your hosting partner possesses. Do they have a broad array of talent across the company, and how many people have the skill sets required to manage your site? If all the expertise is wrapped into one talented individual, you could find yourself in trouble if that person becomes unavailable.

Support, Support, and did I mention... Support?
In addition to simply having the skill sets to troubleshoot issues when something goes wrong, is your hosting partner available when you need them? The Internet does not operate on a 9 to 5 schedule; you need 24/7/365 support.Don't accept anything less.

Does your partner have additional services and proactive systems in place to spot potential problems and fix them before they turn into real problems? To accurately assess if the appropriate services and support are in place be sure to ask follow-up questions like, "Tell me the names of the systems you are using and please explain how they work."You'll find out in a hurry just how proactive these systems really are.

When it comes right down to it, you're buying a service, not a product. The human expertise, partner support, and reliability are the true differentiators between hosting companies.