Imagine one morning you log on to your website only to find it has been suspended by Google. Without warning, your informative home page has been replaced by a Google Red Alert page that reads:
Reported Attack Site:
“This web site at YourURL.com has been reported as an attack site and has been blocked based on your security preferences. Attack sites try to install programs that steal private information, use your computer to attack others, or damage your system. Some attack sites intentionally distribute harmful software, but many are compromised without the knowledge or permission of their owners.”
This article is not intended to scare you, but rather to show you that the Internet can be a very nasty environment and that this could happen to your website at any time.
Internet Wars: May the Google Force Be With You
Generally, malware is installed onto a website because someone hacked into the FTP server or got the login information from the owner’s email. More often than not, a website is hacked through your own email account. Therefore, it is extremely important to remove any sensitive information from your email.
Unfortunately, one of our client websites, not hosted by us, was attacked and suspended two months after launch when it was previously Google compliant and functioning perfectly. The site was compromised by a hacker who placed a malicious script or virus (badware) into the coding which could then cause users’ computers to be infected. Google then informed us that the solution would be to remove the offending (and usually hidden) content from the web pages, and identify the problem and correct the vulnerability.
Once the site has been fixed and secured, you can request that the warning be removed by visiting My Site’s Been Hacked and then asking for a review. If the site is no longer harmful to users, Google will remove the warning and the site will be reinstated.
The Solution to Stopping Badware!
When our client brought the Red Alert to our attention, we thoroughly reviewed the site. We found no obvious badware scripting, but something external triggered the alert. Since we always keep a clean back-up copy of clients’ websites, we decided to upload the original files to their ftp site and replace the entire web contents - in essence, performing a clean install. Then we resubmitted it to Google and their partner, Stop Badware for a new review and approval. Even before Google’s approval, the site was live at once and functioning properly as soon as we replaced the corrupted files. The offending Red Alert page was gone (hopefully forever).
The Best Place to Find Help
In order to help prevent future attacks, we attached Google Webmaster Tools to monitor the site and its activity. We submitted the site to Badware Busters and informed the client to change his password on their FTP site as a further precaution.
Please understand that badware (aka spyware, malware, adware) can also come in the form of malicious user-contributed content or content from an ad network that has an offending advertiser. If you have unwittingly downloaded badware and your computer is compromised, please visit the Stop Badware site for information on how to remove the offending content. The site is also excellent for tips on cleaning and securing your site and, as in the case of our client, how to submit your site for review and re-approval by Google.
Prevention Tips
There are a few things you can do to prevent badware:
1. Use Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, which is more susceptible.
2. Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date
3. Put a firewall on your computer
4. Use physical firewalls by not connecting directly to public IPs
Many hosting providers typically do not find out about malware users until the site is already infected. This is because their security systems are not actively monitoring the system’s activity. For trusted hosting providers, we recommend for Apache environment: Web Hosting Logic and Twintel Solutions. For Microsoft environment: Digital Housing.
Knowing that attacks could happen to any site at anytime is a bit disconcerting. It would be great if Google would identify the offending content, or give us 24 hours to correct the problem instead of just a surprise suspension and red alert notice. Never-the-less, being aware of what to do and to act quickly will save you time, worry and money.
Source: http://www.a1articles.com/
The question of when should somebody switch from a Shared Hosting account to a Virtual Private Server (VPS) is one that is asked time and time again. As a result, we have decided to write an article to explain some of the benefits and true differences between a shared hosting environment, and a managed VPS environment.
In the beginning, most website owners and small businesses find themselves comfortable and content with a shared hosting account. If a website or small business has only basic needs then a shared environment is the perfect solution for these types of sites and for sites with smaller budgets. However, often there comes a point when the website or small business outgrows their shared web hosting environment and needs to look to a VPS as a solution. A Virtual Private Server can easily provide the upgrade most small and medium sized websites need.
We will now discuss some of the main issues and indicators that it may be time for an upgrade, and how a managed VPS can solve these issues.
Dedicated IP and Private Email Server
Typically, in a shared hosting environment all websites share the same web server, as well as the same email server. When a shared hosting environment is handling hundreds and thousands of domains it is also having to manage thousands of emails being sent and received. This can result in email being less reliable, causing problems sending and receiving. In a VPS environment a company will have its own unique IP address and email will be more reliable all around. This is just one of the many benefits to having your own dedicated IP and email server. As many businesses rely heavily on email for daily operations, it makes sense to have your own email server with its own unique IP.
Dedicated Resources
With a VPS you are allocated a certain amount of resources that are dedicated solely to your needs. Others on the same server with VPS are given their own share of resources and a minimum per VPS is always maintained. A benefit of this is that if others are not using their resources your website is able to tap into them and utilize them. With burstable resources your server is able to maintain a minimum, and utilize more power when needed and if it is available.
Separate OS and Software
A shared hosting plan uses the same operating system and software across hundreds, and even thousands of websites on the same server. The result is the possibility for many things to go wrong when a server is trying to please that many websites. With a VPS, you have a completely separated operating system that caters to your website’s needs only. The benefit is more reliability, and less possible downtime.
Customizable
With a VPS you are able to customize the system to your website’s requirements. If there is a program or script that needs to run a certain way, you are able to make those changes. There are often limitations when a website in a shared hosting environment requires a customization that a server tech is simply not willing to make noting that it will affect all other websites on that server. With a VPS, it can be adjusted and customized any way a website owner requires for success.
Added Security
Security is a concern of anyone who values their website, email, and other important data kept on a website or server. With a VPS platform, a website owner is able to customize security policies, and firewall rules to cater to their website only. This is especially important when a business needs to allow employees access to email through a secure connection. Having the ability to customize security ensures that a website owner can do what is needed to keep hackers out.
Growth Path - Adding more resources easily
The problem with a shared hosting environment is that a website can quickly outgrow the available resources forcing them to upgrade to a VPS or a Dedicated Server. With a VPS, a user can purchase a VPS configured with the amount of resources they need. If the website outgrows its originally configured resource allocations, additional resources can typically be added from the host without making any changes to the server. As a result upgrading is seamless requiring no downtime at all. A VPS is also configured like a Dedicated Server, if there is a need to upgrade to a dedicated server the upgrade process will require minimal adjusting and some hosts will provide zero downtime during this process.
Upgrading from a shared environment to a managed VPS is something that many website owners and small businesses will experience during their business lifetime at which time they will appreciate the benefits a VPS offers.
Virtual Private Server hosting can be considered a smart option between shared web hosting, and a dedicated server. If a shared hosting account is not enough, and a dedicated server is too powerful or costly, then a Virtual Private Server (VPS) may be right for you.
Comparing Shared Hosting to VPS hosting
Shared web hosting allows multiple users and websites to be hosted under one operating system on a single server. In this shared environment each user is affected by the other users’usage, and website issues. The benefit of a VPS over a shared hosting account is that you will be independent from other users and will have a much more reliable hosting environment.
Comparing a dedicated server to VPS hosting
A dedicated server gives one user access to use an entire server and its resources independently. While a dedicated server is ideal for most users who want the reliability and resources, there is the reality of the hefty price tag. As you know, this price tag is not always reasonable. A Virtual Private Server affords a user all of the benefits of a dedicated server, without the high costs of a dedicated server. A VPS solution allows multiple users to share the expense of server hardware, without sacrificing privacy and performance.
Why a VPS is the best choice for hosting
A Virtual Private Server is the best solution for anyone who wants the benefits and reliability of a dedicated server, and without the headaches of a shared hosting account. The true benefits are endless because a VPS gives you all of the power of a dedicated server, at a fraction of the cost.
Source: http://www.a1articles.com/
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is one of the latest evolutions in the world of hosting. A VPS gives a user all of the benefits of having their own dedicated server, without the hefty monthly bill. If you have a growing website, or simply need more server power and reliability, a VPS might be right for you.
How does the VPS technology work?
VPS technology allows multiple users to share the expense and hardware of one physical server, without a lack in performance. One physical server is split into independent sections. The server can then house multiple VPS accounts that are all run independently from one another.
Each VPS is allocated a fair portion of all server resources including:
* Hard Disk Space
* Memory/RAM
* Processor Power
* Network Access and capabilities
Once a server is split into separate VPS accounts, each VPS can then run independently and will not be affected by the other VPS accounts on the one physical server.
Advantages of a VPS?
The true benefits of having a VPS over shared hosting include:
Privacy/Security - Each VPS is independent of the others on the server so you can be sure that your websites, information, and data are never affected by other user accounts or websites.
Reliability - Since your VPS is independent, you will not deal with server downtime due to another user’s website problems or errors.
Guaranteed Resources - You are guaranteed a set minimum amount of processor power, disk space, and memory so your websites will have all the resources they need.
Flexibility/Customization - Since your VPS will run its own independent operating system, you can load programs and scripts, make custom changes to settings, and tailor the system to your needs which is not always permitted on restricted shared hosting accounts.
Price - You share hardware costs with multiple users, so your monthly bill is less.
Why a VPS is right for you?
Virtual Private Servers are the perfect solution for the small business, or a website that has outgrown a shared hosting account. VPS technology is a great alternative to a dedicated server when power and reliability are needed, but not a hefty price tag.
john is very happy today, for the first time in his life he has created his very own website. Now he is looking for a web host so that he can put his identity on the net. Casually he asks his friend Mac about it. Mac tells him that web-hosting directories are the best place to look for a web host.
Getting curious John then asks Mac what exactly a Web Hosting Directory is. Mac responds that web hosting directories are a web hosting marketplace where prospective hosts list their products, plans, prices and other important information so that according to their requirements, customers can choose a suitable plan. Along with the details, it also contains web hosts’ rankings. John is now extremely happy as his dream is finally going to come to fruition. Like John, there are many beginners who are in search of a reliable web host and come across web hosting directories. Here a new question arises: Are these web hosting directories really trustworthy sources for novices like John? To find an answer it’s very important to understand the working of WHDs.
Basically web-hosting directories are of two types: paid WHDs and free WHDs. For paid directories, either web hosts pay a set amount for placing their banners on the site, or they pay commission if they get customers via that medium. On the other hand, free WHDs like www.askwebhosting.com and www.hostbyte.com etc. web hosts list their services without paying any fees.
Some people believe that paid WHDs are very easy to manipulate as the ranking of web hosts can be changed in unfair ways. Others have the view that WHDs that are actually free reflect the true ranking of web hosts companies. Whatever the case may be, paid or free, people should believe the web hosts rankings only if they are based completely on votes of customers who have actually given their remarks and have left their website address as well.
It is not possible for any web hosting company to have 100% positive reviews. It is also observed that at times customers who are satisfied with their web host forget to express their opinion about that host. However, a biased customer who is not satisfied with their web host does not forget to mention their opinion of that web host. This implies that a negative review doesn’t always reflect the true picture of a web host company.
No doubt web hosting directories are very useful if the newbie like John wants to compare prices and features of different companies. But, when it comes to choosing a web host he/she should make an intelligent choice by referring to other resource sites (forums etc.) as well.
Source: http://www.ezinearticles.com/
–Company Email Addresses–
Web hosting companies should provide company email accounts for each person in your company. Email addresses should appear like this:
yourname@domain.com
lester@definiteweb.com
myname@companyname.com
–Web Mails–
Most websites work with web mails. Web-based email enable you to access email via a web browser such as Internet Explorer. You log into your email account via the Web to send and retrieve email. You are able to access your emails from anywhere in the world and it makes checking of emails convenient and portable. Web mails for your company will most probably be accessed at www.vpshostingsearch.com/webmail
There are other forms of web mail options available such as Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail and Gmail.
–Email Forwarding–
Email forwarding allows you to have multiple email personalities. With email forwarding, you can setup aliases for other email accounts like
joe@mycompany.com forwarded to web-designs@definiteweb.com
joe@myothercompany.com forwarded to web-designs@definiteweb.com
joe@personalwebsite.com forwarded to web-designs@definiteweb.com
It makes tracking of emails easy; especially when you have multiple email accounts to check on.
–Mailing Lists–
It will be userful if you can send out emails to a large number of users. Start up with collecting opt-in email addresses from interested parties and send monthly promotions of your business products and services. Before long, your mailing list will be your another marketing channel of your business.
Are you looking for web hosting? If you want to set up a personal website, or a modest commercial one, you are probably in the market for an inexpensive shared hosting plan. Those entry-level plans may cost $5-10 per month, and often boast very generous features for that modest prize. However, the strong competition often causes the companies to oversell, and then have difficulties living up to their promises. And how do you go about telling the good ones from the bad?
Maybe you go to one of the many web hosting review sites. Those places may offer extensive listings of various web hosting companies and their features; which is certainly helpful. But be aware of the fact that these review sites are out there to make money by referring new customers to the hosting companies! Therefore, they tend to praise those companies that pay them the best.
I used to be naive about these things, trusting the review sites. That was until I began some serious research on the subject myself. Were they really so good, those much-praised web hosting companies? Soon, I was able to uncover large amounts of customer testimonials that told a different story.
It became clear that several very large and well-known web hosting companies had surprising amounts of negative customer ratings against them. There were many angry customers that related stories about incompetent or non-existent customer support, billing disputes where the company kept charging ex-customers after they had cancelled their accounts; and more.
One may say that any company with many customers is likely to have a few that are hard to please. But in these cases, there were scores of reviews, and the majority was negative! Since there are also cases where hosting companies have tried to prosecute those who have criticized them in public, I will not mention any names here.
In conclusion: I advice anyone looking for a reliable and honest web hosting provider to be very careful and not put too much trust in the web hosting ratings commonly found at hosting review sites and similar places. Also be aware that the customer feedback published by the web hosts themselves on their sites is of course filtered - and may even be faked.
Source: http://www.ezinearticles.com/
When service at your web hosting company is lacking, or your web site grows in traffic so much that you outgrow your current account, you may find yourself needing to change hosting providers. It can be scary to think about everything you need to do. Here are some things you should keep in mind that will help make the transition to the new host much easier.
1. Backup all of your files and databases
Before you decide to transfer anything over, you need to create a backup of every file and database you have on the current hosting provider’s server. FTP into your current hosting account and copy all of the files from your public_html directory into a directory on your local hard drive that you’ll find easy to remember later.
As for the database, backup methods will vary according to the database vendor, the control panel being used by the host if any, and the operating system of the server. Most providers provide a backup utility that allows you to save a copy of the contents of all of your database tables. If there isn’t a simple backup utility available, you will need to export the contents of your database in a comma delimited file or the standard file format for the particular database you use. Most backup utilities will convert the database into one long SQL file that is then easy for any compatible database engine to reconstruct.
2. Transfering to the new server
Make sure that your website is functioning properly at the new location before you change the DNS information of your domain name. While it may not be possible to fully navigate the site without the domain name pointing to it, you can still point to some individual pages to be sure they will come up. For this though, you’ll need to use the IP address of your hosting account along with your username if you have a shared IP address. On a Cpanel server, you would enter http://61.36.149.221/~username and your main website will come up. You can use this address until the DNS information from the domain propagates throughout the web.
3. Tidy up the loose ends
Upload the backup file of your databases or execute the SQL file you generated in the backup. This should restore your database back to what it was on the old server. Change the nameserver information for your domain name. This is almost always found with the registrar that you registered your domain with or with your old web hosting provider. They almost always assign you a username and password that allows you to log into an account that allows you to change the nameservers. If you don’t have a control panel, then simply email the company that registered your domain for you and ask them to change the nameservers to the new servers. Within 24 to 48 hours, your website will be served from the new server and not the old one. Once you can confirm t
Finding reliable hosting for your business opportunity is no small task. Actually, it can be a full-time undertaking!
This is because most hosting companies focus on the higher end corporate market and overlook the fast-growing small office/home office (SOHO) sector. It is possible, however, if you clarify needs, gather recommendations, create a list of potential hosts and ask questions….lots of them.
Clarify your needs: how much disk space and bandwidth is necessary? Will you need CGI or database capacities? What operating system will you require? Will your site change dramatically down the pike, and are you searching only for yourself or for customers?
Be wary of web hosting directories since many are owned by web hosts. You should obtain feedback from those with sites and glean webmaster newsgroup postings.
In creating a list, include those recommended the most and complained about the least, and determine which hosts offer specific services best suited to your need(s) and which fits your price range.
Always ask questions, i.e.: technical questions to gauge their knowledge and accuracy; find out whether they are committed to their customers or their bank account and subject them to an honesty test…offer them the opportunity to upsell you needlessly.
If you fall into the SOHO category, you may feel more comfortable with a smaller hosting company who better understands your needs and situation. Please be sure you can add domains to a core plan and resell services, and ensure that they offer a knowledge base.
You should also watch for signs of rudeness, impatience and unresponsiveness and make sure they are flexible. A downed site costs you visitors and sales and gives you only another headache in your life of an Internet marketer.
Source: http://www.ezinearticles.com/
Web hosting can best be described as a modern-day marriage: none of this till death do us part stuff, it’s
more like I’ll stick around as long as your uptime is 100%,you answer my frantic queries instantly, and you charge me less than a decent latte at Starbucks. What follows is a few tips to help make the relationship less rocky and possibly prosperous!
First of all, we all need to take a little responsibility and at least figure out what we think we need from a web
host up front. This isn’t always as easy as you might imagine. You don’t always know your exact needs ahead of time, and sometimes these things are difficult to forsee. Your site may become hugely popular, requiring more bandwidth or storage than previously thought. You may decide to have data feeds hosted on your site, which will gobble up resources. On online store can do the same. One way I’ve found myself in the position of having to change web hosts is when a technology you want to use or implement on your site isn’t supported by your host. This will (and
did!)prompt a move.
Ask friends and associates who they use. While their needs may be somewhat different than yours, basic issues such as
support and uptime will be evident, as will cutomner satisfaction. Check out several of the web hosting
directories, as they maintain a wealth of current information regarding the specifics you’re interested in.
Come armed with a list of things you’re looking for and narrow your choices down using this.
Make sure you can grow with this new host. Not only in the size of your current sites, but also number of domains and
subdomains you can host there. If you’re anything like me, I want to be able to get the most bang for my hosting buck!
In short, due your homework, check them out, do your part in knowing as specifically as possible what you’re after, and make your choice. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
Source: http://www.ezinearticles.com/