[Tom_Sean]

Any website comprises the following – Domain name, Webspace, Webpages.
Lets say, You have got your Domain Name (www.yourdomain.com). Its time to check for a good hosting service provider to have your files uploaded in the domain. If you are opting for Linux Based Hosting Plan, make sure you have the following included in your plans :
1. Control Panel – This is the nucleus of your website. In a Control Panel, popularly known as CP, you can literally do anything. The moment you signup for a Hosting Pack, you must be provided with a CP to manage your webspace.
2. POP3 email Ids & Aliases - yourname@yourdomain.com is an example POP3 ID. You must be provided with ample of POP3 email ids and it depends on the Package size.
3. FTP Accounts & Virtual FTP – This is where you upload your files, delete them, update them. This again comes along with the CP. Make sure you have handful of FTP sub-accounts also to provide your clients/users password protected directories. This is very much useful wherein your clients / users can use the FTP to upload /download files from particular password protected folder of your website.
4. Backup – Most of the Hosts take Automated Backups. But users do not take much care on this while choosing the Hosting Pack. This feature is as essential as anyother in this list.
5. Web Statistics - Analysis of your website visitors plays a key role in the success of your website. Say, your website has been launched and you get NIL Visits or More than 100 Visits per day. Whatever the case may be, you can view the Report using Statistics Application that run in the server backend.
6. Bandwidth – Choose the Hosting Plan that gives enough Bandwidth for your website. Even though you cannot judge at the beginning, as time progresses, you can easily deduct the Bandwidth required.
7. PHP & Mysql Support – All the Linux Plans support PHP & Mysql. Make sure you get this free of charge when you buy the hosting plan. Few Hosting Providers may charge extra for MYSQL Database Support & PhpMyAdmin.
8. Webmail & SMTP – Email becomes key part in your life once you launch the website. Check if the Hosts provide with WEBMAIL (mail.yourdomain.com) to check your mails thru a web based interface using Squirrelmail or Horde. Corporate Users prefer downloading mails thru Email Clients such as Eudora or Outlook Express. Only if SMTP or IMAP support is enabled you can use this option. Hence check if SMTP support is provided.
9. SPAM ASSASIN – No email user is free from a spam attack. Hence you need to have Spam Filters installed on the server where your website resides.
10. IP – If your website prefers SSL Support (https://) as time grows, makes ure you get a DEDICATED IP. Most of the websites are hosted on shared IPs. Ask your Hosting Provider about the extra charges involved in getting a dedicated IP and SSL Support. Note : For SSL (https://), you need to buy a Digital Certificate.
You can call the above List anything you like. Essentials….Top 10…Must- haves…..Whatever. But these are the basic ingredients of any linux hosting plan.

[webcrawler]

One of the most neglected features of any Linux web hosting is the web server Apache. This is the most overworked application running your site. Knowing the basic of Apache can secure your site, make it search engine friendly and more efficient.

[anadantra]

Hi Tom,

nice article. Thank goodness, most hosting plans give you the basic features and some more nowadays.

I usually work with heavy scripts that ask a lot of the system so I would add that you need to have very clear what you want to do before contracting your hosting. I wouldn't even get close to a hosting that doesn't have cpanel with fantastico, and at least 3 mysql accounts with phpmyadmin because they make my everyday life much easier. Depending on what you are going to do, you need special settings for php as well.

Now, if you are going to add static pages, you don't need much. For dynamic systems you need to know the requirements of the system and the possible vulnerabilities or you are going to have lots of headaches.

To be able to add SSL certificates easily is also default if you are going to process credit cards, and there is still a little thing that usually is not very well known: if you plan to have a list, you need to be sure that the ip address you are using is not burned and that the other users are not spammers. It is not easy to know unless you have your own ip, the easier way to have your own ip is contracting reseller, but there are some hostings that allow you to have a dedicated ip paying accordingly.

webcrawler, thanks for the tip. I haven't paid atention to Apache since the last time i installed linux in a computer (a long long time ago). Can you give some info about the basic points to look at?

Sandra.:)