If you are new to web hosting, choosing the right plan may seem confusing but it is relatively simple.

Your decision will be based on 3 main criteria:


1. Disk or web space
2. Data transfer or "traffic"
3. Type of content

Disk/web space refers to the amount of space that your web site will occupy on our/your server. It is measured in megabytes (MB) as is traffic/data transfer since every time a visitor comes to your site and visits or downloads from your web site; they transfer the size of that page(s) or file over to their computer. Of course, the more visitors, the more data is transferred and the higher your traffic is therefore if your web site is going to get more visitors or transfer larger file/image sizes, you should select a plan that allows for this.

Another factor that is pertinent to this decision is the type of content your web site is going to contain. If your site contains large graphical imagery, a database or sound files (.wav) then it is anticipated that you will require a more complex web hosting plan such as one of our Pro accounts (either Unix, FreeBSD or Windows).

We recommend that unless you have previous experience or knowledge that your web site is going to require more complex functions such as those above, one of our more basic virtual/shared account types may be adequate to initiate your web site such as our


Linux Virtual Hosting


Then as time and visitor growth necessitates, you can upgrade your account type according to the particulars of those demands. Also you might want to add more features as required overtime.

Of course, if you have any unanswered questions about choosing the right account type for your needs, please contact our Customer Service personnel using our 24x7 E-mail. We will be happy to assist you in getting the web-hosting plan that is perfect for your needs.

Deciding Between Linux and Windows Web Hosting

We recommend in most cases, your needs will be better satisfied by choosing one of our Linux Web Hosting Accounts.

Some newcomers to hosting make the mistake of thinking that if they use Microsoft Windows on their own computer, Windows hosting will be better. This is not correct. Only for those extensively utilizing Microsoft Windows® specific applications such as MS Access, MS MSSQL, ASP, and VBScripts, do we suggest Windows hosting.

The reasons are simple.

Linux is definitely more reliable, more stable and more universally compatible with any operating system. This is due to the functionality and speed of the Linux operating platform. Without a doubt, Linux is far more stable than Windows in a shared-server, or multi-user environment. So if you are unsure and you do not think you will be using one of the above, we recommend a Linux account.

On the other hand, if you know you will be using Microsoft applications mentioned above extensively, or you plan on developing extensively using FrontPage, especially FrontPage 2002®, are looking for E-commerce add-ons or will be using high-end databases/development, our Windows® Hosting Plans are the right choice for you.

NOTE: FrontPage® 2002 web hosting is supported by both Linux and Windows Web Hosting plans.

To conclude, if you are looking for universal compatibility regardless of the operating system the end user has, the ability to run a much wider variety of custom scripts and programs than Windows, and offers easier, lower-cost set-up for advanced applications such as CGI scripts, databases, etc then the obvious choice must be one of our Linux web hosting accounts.

Picture it. You build a web site, you host it at a web hosting company (preferably Rustikat) and before you know it, you have a successful web presence. Suddenly you need more memory, more web space, more bandwidth and more features. You know you need a more comprehensive web hosting solution but do you upgrade your virtual account or do you go to a dedicated server - a server dedicated to your needs alone.

First of all, read through the discussion on the Types of Web Hosting.

While Virtual or shared hosting may have been or may be enough for your web site, you should keep in mind that you are sharing resources with others, much like living in an apartment building.

On the other hand, dedicated hosting is like owning the house. Your web site will have complete usage of the server's resources therefore likely to be served faster versus sharing with a 100 plus sites on the shared server. This option could very well cost hundreds of dollars more per month over virtual/shared hosting but if your web site and traffic, not to mention your business requires it, then skimping on money should be your last concern.

Unlike shared hosting, a Dedicated Server is where you lease the entire server from your web hosting company, in this case, Rustikat, including the hardware and the operating system. The hardware, operating system, connectivity, redundancy, and monitoring costs are usually spread out over the duration of the service agreement. Typically, this includes connectivity to the Internet, redundancy measures, and monitoring.

Dedicated servers are for larger, professional web sites which may require a great deal of traffic, use secure E-commerce applications, have sensitive content, application hosting, resellers offering shared hosting services to their customers and so forth. The Dedicated Server is provided by the web hosting company and "leased" to the customer.

If your Internet business or application falls into one of the categories above, leasing a dedicated server from a web host can save you time and money in the long term, as well as reduce the risk involved with owning and maintaining the hardware yourself. You don't have to bear the upfront costs of purchasing the hardware yourself, plus the installation and Internet connectivity costs, plus the costs of continuous monitoring and hardware maintenance.

Resellers and developers can benefit from a dedicated solution since the cost of adding new accounts/customers on a dedicated server is zero.

Another important reason to choose a dedicated hosting solution is the need for large amounts of bandwidth or data transfer capacity. If you have a heavy traffic site, you will certainly require a large amount of bandwidth each month.

Finally, and best of all, only your data is on the server. You are not sharing the memory, processor, or bandwidth with anyone else. Your server has it's own port to the Internet. It is there to serve you.

Once you have decided that a Dedicated Server is the right choice, here are a few other considerations:


1. Operating Systems:   The two most popular are Linux and Windows. There are others such as BSD and Solaris, however these are the two most prevalent choices. For more on this read "Deciding Between Linux and Windows". Usually the decision comes down to the scalability of Linux versus the standardization of Windows.
   
   
2. Web Servers:   Here the most popular are Apache for Linux and IIS (Microsoft Internet Information Server) for Windows.
   
   
3. Programming and Databases:   For Linux, the two most popular are Perl and PHP. PHP is growing in popularity because it allows you to connect to a database, usually MySQL very easily. For Windows ASP is the language of choice, which can be used with MS Access or MS SQL database software.
   
   
4. Hardware:  The choice is what speed, single or dual processors, RAM, how much hard drive, SCSI or IDE and most importantly, who pays for hardware maintenance.
   
   
5. Bandwidth/Traffic:  How much is included and how much is additional traffic?
   
   
6. Custom Configurations and other considerations:  A more technical question, but also very important, is whether your server is on a dedicated port, or on a shared port. A related question is whether the network you are connected into is based on a switch or a hub. Switched networks like that of Rustikat's are higher performance, and offer more security.
   
Conclusion

While there is a lot to keep in mind when deciding on whether or not, a Dedicated Server is right for you, if you take the time to research the options, you will find that it is all in what you know -- and need.