Most of web hosting service providers are unable to provide maximum up time. Read Web Hosts’ Claim-A Hidden Reality

I already reviewed their hosting service with the main features and the various shared hosting plans they are offering. Their product features, customer support service, server uptime and reliability are the crux of their product.

All of my projects are hosted on a HostGator shared server and I never observed any down time. So I highly recommend their services for your blog/site.

Their Hatchling plan is the best suitable to host a domain with unlimited disk space and bandwidth. This plan is available for $7.96/mo with no contract and even lower if you commit for a year.  If you use the code BLOGGING11, you will get 25% off of the package that you do choose.  Just click here to take advantage of this limited offer for my readers.

HostGator Signup Link Coupon Code= BLOGGING11

It’s pertinent to mention here that HostGator also offers 45 days money back guarantee.

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1. HostGator Review & Coupon Code
2. Hosting on Shared Server, A Wise Decision or A Risky Investment

Actually majority of web hosts don’t provide what they have promised. Read my article on Web Hosts’ Claim-A Hidden Reality. Web sites start their journey with shared hosting. We need to wisely make investment in shared hosting.

After successful hosting experience with my current hosting service provider HostGator, I am reviewing their product for your web sites. Before discussing their features in detail, let’s get some info on companys’ profile.
HostGator is in business since 2002 offering shared, reseller, VPS and dedicated hosting solutions to their clients from 200 different countries. They are currently hosting 2,500,000 domains.

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HostGator is offering three types of shared server packages based on needs of site owner.

Hatchling Plan:-

If you need hosting service for single domain, than this is the package for you. You have unlimited bandwidth and disk space. You can’t add or park additional domains. You have shared SSL and can upgrade this plan at any point. Plan starts at $8.95/ Month and $4.95/Month if you go for three year plan. Credits of $100 are also available for Google adwords, great value for price.

Baby Plan:-

Under this plan, you can host unlimited domains. All other benefits of Hatchling plan are the part of this plan. Additionally you have private SSL allowed and option for choosing dedicated SSL certificate for only $2 additional. It’s suitable plan for multiple domains. which starts at $9.95/month and $7.95/month for 3 year plan.

Business Plan:-

This is a feature rich, perfect plan for small business with customer support. You have following additional benefits under this plan;

• Your own Toll free number,
• Free dedicated IP
• Free private SSL

All other features of baby plan are part of it.

This is most expensive plan with additional features. Plan costs you $14.95/month and $12.95/month if you buy three year package.

There are other additional features that are offered by HostGator.

Attracta:-

This script improves your visibility on search engine by generating and submitting sitemaps to major search engines just for free.

Free web design quote:-

If you are interested in designing or redesigning your website, this service offers you free quote for designing.

Google Adword:-

A free voucher of $100 credits for advertising your site on Google network is part of all three packages.

Detailed Information About Your Account Statistics:-

Host Gator provides you detailed information of your shared server hosting account that is not part of other hosting service providers. Like memory & CPU usage, used indoes out of 250,000 and resources alert.

45 Days Money Back Guarantee:-

If you are not satisfied with their services, you simply claim refund within 45 days.

Value for Price not ended yet?

Yes this is true, HostGator are providing best value for your buck. For every new account, Host Gator offers you discount on package price. By entering the code “GOONMONTH” you will instantly get $25 off on package. So it means annual package of Hatchling account will cost you $58.40 after discount.

Link:- HostGator

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1. Hostgator 2011 Discount Code
2. Hosting on Shared Server, A Wise Decision or A Risky Investment
3. 9 Reasons to Self Host Your WordPress Blog

Here is a situation, What if you have rapid flood of traffic, What if your blog or site uses a lot of resources due to any reason?

I tell you, you will get sudden suspension of your account from your host, because your site or blog started consumption of resources over its allocation. This is the situation which every blogger has to face at some time and is supposed to choose wisely a hosting company.

I faced same situation, I opted for annual hosting plan from a well established hosting company. My site got suspension three times.

First time it was due to some type of attack, because at some time I was getting listed my post and very next moment, upon refreshing, there was no post in my blog. Hosting server started overloading and hosting company suspended my blog.

I installed fresh copy of WordPress, restored backup and took all possible measures to protect my site. Combination of different plugins served me very well. One plugin was showing me the usage of server resources by my blog. It was showing usage of resources separately for header, index and footer files to dig out the culprit section of site. Other plugin was monitoring the whole sites’ file to notify any type of change in it.

Well my post in not about securing the WordPress but to discuss the drawbacks of shared server.

After some time my site was suspended again due to rapid fire of traffic. My Google analytics account showed me 1500% increase in traffic but the unfortunate and without any warning suspension diverted the fortune moment from me.

And third time, company claimed that they permanently suspended my site due to extra resources usage by file index.php. They tried their level best to convince and force me to purchase a VPS. My site was remain suspended for 17 hours as I was on my full time job and can’t change the host from my office.

Upon my consistent request, they allowed only my IP to dig out the problem. When I logged in my site, all was normal; no alarm, no signal from any plugin or from stat program. I was confused. I contacted hosting company to share some stat, but they refused to do so. Their attitude forced directed me to think from some other direction, was it some type of strategy to increasing the sales? In the last, I was left with no choice but to move to another hosting company.

All my investment for annual hosting plan just wasted. The hosting company refused me to refund the rest of amount due to problem caused by my site. I argued with them, tried to convince them that such type of situation was not created by me and I took corrective measures after first suspension.

In the last, I informed them about my final decision for forwarding my case to FTC with various points like;

• No permanent suspension clause in their TOS.
• Suspension of my account without any warning mail and their extreme action of permanent suspension of my site, again without any warning mail.
• Most important, their representative told me that they allow 10 processes per cpanel account and 20-30 MB of Ram for every process. So, how could my site can eat 300 MB of Ram without leaving traces?
• Non Sharing of stats from their side.

After taking up the matter with them for many days, they refunded me the full amount, which I was not expecting from them.

I moved to another host and this time decided one thing. I will not purchase annual hosting plan for shared server at least. You are not sure what should happen next time and hosting company may suspend your account even.

Currently I am on monthly hosting plan; it is more expensive as the discount rate in shape of coupon code is very little for monthly purchase plan and it is costing me almost $9.11/Month and in aggregate about $109 for 12 months while the same plan is also offered in $66 for 12 months. But I don’t want to risk my investment.

Hosting company has a justification that your site has been suspended due to your excess usage of shared server resources and they can’t refund the money.

My decision about opting monthly hosting plan may not seem a wise one, but I am ensuring that my money will not be wasted due to suspension and monthly plan will also reduce suspension issues.

I learned a lot from my experience, actually every blogger learn each and every time. If your site is live, you can work with complete pace of mind. No problem if I am spending some extra bucks, but I am satisfied.

My investment is secured now and as is in risk only to the extent of what I have paid for one month. I am not worried about suspension issues as my current host “HostGator” is a renowned company. And I got their successful business secret. I will review at some time “HostGator”, why they are so successful and a trusted name in hosting business.

Share your experience of shared server hosting and comment the performance, support service of your hosting company.

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2. Web Hosts’ Claim-A Hidden Reality

What is Server Uptime:-

Server uptime is the time throughout the month, when server is able to process the all traffic request. If you are looking for some site and it is not responding, it means web server is partially down or totally. Providing 100% uptime is almost difficult but not possible. One has to hire highly skilled staff and deploy good infrastructure.

Web Hosts’ Claim- A Hidden Reality:-

Before finalizing the webhost selection, please do inquire about their uptime. Industry standards uptime is 99.99% and some are providing even 100% uptime. Below this standard, don’t select the web host. Server maintenance and update is such a factor which can’t be avoided and this is the case with every web host. But with proper planning and management, web host can curtail this maintenance time.

If we calculate the industry standard, it means that;

Total number of minutes in a month x (100-uptime%)/100

= (30days x 24hours) x 60min x (100-99.9)/100

= 43200 x (0.1)/100

= 43.2 minutes (max downtime).

What about figures below than industry standard like 99% and 98.5% up time? You would have unbearable loss in terms of business and traffic. Can you afford this much down time? Answer is no. Do remember that high speed network and stable server time is also considered in Google Page Rank.

Some webhost play dirty game and use jugglery of words. They make confuse their customers and claim in their SLA (Service level agreement) that they are guaranteeing 100% network up time. Don’t confuse the “Server Uptime” and “Network Uptime” terminologies.

Network uptime means that their network (Lan, Wan) will up all time despite the fact that one of their server in network is down. Because they committed for network up time not the server uptime. So when you talk to them they will reply you with the reality that they haven’t committed the server uptime.

While Server Uptime means that every server including your one would remain up for their committed time. This is more important than network uptime. So always look for Server Uptime.

Some host even clarifies the situation that network maintenance will be included in this down time or they will take some extra time for this issue.

Before selecting any host for your blog or website do check their server uptime from WebHostingStuff monitored for at least six months and then analyze their previous trend towards their commitment. If they have occasional down time which may occur due to reboot, security patch or some update, and consistent up time then it’s ok and go with them.

But if webhost has frequent downtime for different intervals during previous six months, they might have old and faulty hardware. Stay away from them or you will lose your investment plus hard earned traffic.

Link:- WebHostingstuff

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