King Of Prussia, PA (PRWEB) May 29, 2006
Todd Cardin of Specialty Answering Service has opened discussions with several web hosting companies. One of the most controversial topics surrounding web hosting is the practice of overselling bandwidth, and rightfully so. The practice of overselling has enormous potential for disaster – ask any webmaster who has ever woken up to a cold, unforgiving “Bandwidth Exceeded” message where his or her site should be. The risk of such outages is all too real, and the cleanup effort for network bandwidth outages is a long and arduous process.
Unfortunately, it is a risk that every webmaster must take. The nature of the web hosting business does not allow you to eliminate the risk, only to mitigate it to the best of your ability. In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between overstated bandwidth claims and website downtime. As a professional webmaster, you have a responsibility to balance cost and risk when choosing a web hosting plan. This article aims to clarify the pros and cons of one of the most common risky practices so that you can make a more informed decision when choosing your web host.
Unlimited Bandwidth
As the web hosting market has grown more and more competitive over the years, hosting companies have increasingly begun to tout “unlimited bandwidth” or “unmetered bandwidth” as a major selling point of their hosting plans. These claims are generally seen as nothing more than a marketing ploy. After all, no web hosting company could truly offer you unlimited bandwidth, since the bandwidth of the hosting company, network, and even the Internet itself is physically limited.
Ok, let’s be fair here. The limitations I’m talking about are almost incomprehensible and would never be reached by a single site. A hosting company could offer virtually unlimited bandwidth (or “unmetered bandwidth” or whatever phrase they choose to keep the lawyers at bay). This is the gray area between truth and falsehood upon which marketing claims feed.
The simple truth is that bandwidth costs money. It costs your web hosting company money, which in turn costs you money. The more megabytes of bandwidth your hosting company gives you for your dollar, the less profit they make. The only reason that a web host is able to make unlimited bandwidth incentives possible is because most websites use only a fraction of the bandwidth available to them. The more websites a hosting company hosts, the easier it is for them to make very accurate predictions about how much will actually be used. If those predictions tell them that over the course of any given month the large traffic spikes will be averaged out and still remain profitable, then they can safely offer unlimited bandwidth and remain profitable.
The practical upshot of this is twofold: Firstly, marketing claims are not necessarily outright falsehoods, but they’re not to be implicitly trusted either. Secondly, if you are signed up under a “unmetered bandwidth” hosting plan and you consistently use enough bandwith to blow the curve, you can expect a phone call from your hosting company. These calls usually involve friendly sales people trained in the art of the upsell, and are almost invariably concluded with an invitation to read the fine print of your hosting contract.
Overselling
Unlimited bandwidth claims get a lot of press, but the real danger lurks in the practice of overselling bandwidth. Like the man behind the curtain, overselling is the cause of real problems but is frequently overlooked because of the attention devoted to the front man.
What is overselling? Quite simply, overselling is the practice of selling your customers more bandwidth than you actually have. It’s the same practice airlines use when booking seats, though if you were to extend the analogy it would result in airplanes that crashed because they were to full. Please accept my apologies for the use of an overly dramatic comparison, but I want to make it very clear that it is the practice of irresponsible overselling that leads to costly site outages.
To be fair, most web hosting companies are responsible. Just as the airlines monitor the number of people that actually board the plane, the hosting companies continuously monitor their bandwidth usage to make sure they do not exceed their limits and everyone’s site stays up and running. If they don’t, then one website can use up everyone else’s bandwidth and inadvertently shut down all the sites using that pipe. That’s not the fault of the site owner – it’s the fault of an irresponsible web hosting company.
Almost every web hosting company oversells their bandwidth. A hosting company that offers unlimited bandwidth plans is, by definition, overselling their bandwidth. The point I really want to drive home is that the risk of overselling exists even if the web hosting company DOES NOT OFFER unlimited bandwidth. Clear enough? You are not safe simply because you have selected a hosting plan with a fixed bandwidth allotment. If you select a web host that offers unlimited bandwidth on any plan, you are DEFINITELY at risk of overselling problems. If you select a webhost that offers only fixed bandwidth plans, you are PROBABLY at risk.
Choosing a Web Host
In my opinion, unlimited bandwidth claims are only superficially related to real problems with your web hosting company. Yes, I have had a web site unceremoniously shut down without notification by a web hosting provider because of excessive bandwidth usage. And yes, it was an unlimited bandwidth plan. It was a costly experience. The tech simply shut down the site and went to lunch. The hosting company was unresponsive. Money was lost.
But looking back on the experience, it wasn’t a limited vs. unlimited issue. It was a Bad Hosting Company issue. I am utterly convinced that we would have received the same treatment had we exceeded a stated bandwidth limit – I’ve seen that happen as well with a different site and a different web host.
The commonality is the integrity and responsibility of the web host, not the claims made by their marketing department. When you deal with super cheap, fly-by-night resellers, you will have problems. Guaranteed. When you deal with reputable, well established hosting companies you will get phone calls. Sure, you will have to pay a little more, but it is well worth it to anyone who has experienced firsthand the same mind-boggling incompetence I have.
I don’t get hung up on hype, be it from a marketing department or from fellow webmasters. Choosing a web host should be a rational decision, based primarily on the inherent competence of the hosting company, and secondarily on plan value. If I see an unlimited bandwidth plan from a highly reputable web host, I’m going to jump on it – it’s a great value until you get that call.
That’s my opinion on unlimited bandwidth web hosting. The fact is that correlation is not causation. Be a responsible webmaster – make your own decisions. Research your hosting options by using a web hosting comparison service. If you do your research carefully and base your decisions on facts, you’re far less likely to get burned.
###
Honor Flight Upstate fundraiser set for March 31
The Honor Flight Upstate Lowcountry Boil benefit fundraiser will take place from 4 pm to 7 pm March 31 at the Belton National Guard Armory, Belton. Tickets may be purchased at the door. The event is sponsored by the Belton-Honea Path and Williamston …
Read more on Anderson Independent Mail
Travis Ford buys 400 student tickets
In mid-November, one game into the season, coach Kurt Budke, 50, and 36-year-old assistant Miranda Serna died when a single-engine plane transporting them on a recruiting trip crashed in Arkansas. Jim Littell, who was associate head coach on Budke's …
Read more on ESPN
Tickets that caused us much grieve
Image by Kien Wai
Bought a pair of tickets and found out the trip was non-existent at the last minute!
060508tickets
Image by Dan4th
Neon sign at the travel agency.
Question by saxmpazidou n: how get from thessaloniki to rostov?
by airplan and cheap ticket
Best answer:
Answer by reagans
from where to what now
What do you think? Answer below!
Bellevue, Wash. (PRWEB) March 12, 2012
Down Under Answers (DUA) Travel has just launched a selection of super special holiday packages and a Facebook competition to lure American travelers to the Land of the Long White Cloud, New Zealand.
Entering Discover New Zealand sweepstakes, for an opportunity to win a nine-night excursion for two to Auckland, Rotorua, and Queenstown complete with round-trip airfare from Los Angeles is easy, but interested travelers need to be quick because the Discover New Zealand sweepstakes starts March 1, 2012 at 05:00 p.m. (PDT) and ends March23, 2012 at 08:59 p.m. (PDT). Read the Official Rules Here
To enter Like Down Under Answers Facebook page, fill out the entry form, answer the questions posted between now and March 23, 2012. U.S. residents over 18 are eligible to participate.
The Discover New Zealand sweepstakes grand prize includes:
????Round-trip coach class airfare on Air New Zealand from Los Angeles to Auckland, Rotorua and Queenstown.
????Three nights accommodation at SKYCITY Auckland
????Two nights accommodation at Novotel Rotorua Lakeside
????Four nights accommodation at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside
????Round-trip transfers in each city.
Down Under Answers Sales Director Jason Mesnick says theres no better time to experience the breathtaking beauty, heritage and culture of New Zealand and getting there is easy on the innovative and award-winning Air New Zealand.
Weve gone out of our way to create packages offering the best of the best to see, do and experience in these picturesque South Pacific islands. And to make it even more attractive, were giving someone the chance to win a trip for two adults to New Zealand for nine nights with transfers included. said Mr. Mesnick.
DUAs expertise and reputation for creating customized travel itineraries to suit any style, taste and budget is unmatched. Other super special New Zealand vacation packages are:
Auckland, Rotura & Queenstown
???? 10 night air & land inclusive vacation from $ 1839 – Experience the ambiance of three classic cities all on one vacation.
New Zealand – Your Style
????12 night land only deluxe package to New Zealand’s Top 10 from $ 4789 – Discover the most magical regions of New Zealand – learn about their heritage & culture, and experience nature at its purest!
New Zealand Rail Experience
????13 night air & land inclusive vacation from $ 4839 A wonderful and eventful tour, discovering the most magical regions of New Zealand. The contrasts within New Zealand are remarkable. Explore and learn about the history and heritage, flora and fauna. Experience the world famous rail journeys of the Coastal Pacific, TranzAlpine and Taieri Gorge trains.
New Zealand Style
????10 night air & land inclusive vacation from $ 7449 – Enjoy a romantic escape to New Zealand, staying at some of the most stunning lodges located in convenient locations so you dont miss out on the sights!
To book a New Zealand vacation with Down Under Answers call toll-free (866) 792-5458 or visit http://www.duatravel.com.
Prices are subject to currency fluctuations and seasonal surcharges. Advertised priced reflects lowest season pricing. Add-on fares available from other U.S. cities. Seats/Rooms are limited and subject to availability at time of booking. A higher class of service may be offered as an alternative. U.S./foreign taxes/fees, including September 11th security fee, are included. Amendment fees and cancellation penalties apply
About Down Under Answers
Down Under Answers, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2012, is the recognized industry leader in vacation packages to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti and the Cook Islands,. The Bellevue, Washington-based tour operator offers a wide variety of travel package options ranging from escorted tours to self-drive vacations, adventure travel, island escapes, groups and special interest travel, as well as customized independent arrangements. The company has repeatedly been voted the Best Travel Wholesaler by Tourism Australias Aussie Specialists and Tourism New Zealands Kiwi Specialists as well as Best Travel Wholesaler by Australian Supplier Partners.
Twitter: @downunderanswer
Facebook: facebook.com/downunderanswers
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/downunderanswers/
YouTube: youtube.com/user/DownunderAnswers2
Media Contact: Colin Baugh
Randall PR / (206) 931-1037
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Recent Comments