Where your website lives matters. Cheap hosting can mean slow pages, poor security, and little support.

Types of hosting

– Shared hosting: many sites on one server. Inexpensive, but performance and security depend on neighbors.

– Managed WordPress hosting: optimized for WordPress, with updates, backups, and security tools

– VPS (virtual private server): a dedicated slice of a server, with more control and responsibility

– Dedicated server: an entire physical server for one customer

– Cloud hosting: scalable resources on platforms like Azure or AWS

– Website builder hosting: included with Wix, Squarespace, and similar tools

What to look for

– Uptime commitments and track record

– Speed: fast servers, caching, and a content delivery network (CDN)

– Security: firewall, malware scanning, isolation between accounts, and free HTTPS certificates

– Backups: automatic, offsite, and easy to restore

– Support: real people, available when you need them

– Data location: Canadian hosting where residency matters

– Scalability: the ability to handle traffic spikes

– Staging environments to test updates safely

– Transparent pricing, including renewals, since introductory prices often rise

Domain services

– Registration and renewal

– DNS management

– Domain privacy to hide personal contact information

– Email hosting, which is often better kept separate from web hosting

Practical advice

– Keep domain registration and hosting under company control

– Separate email from the website host so a site problem doesn’t stop email

– Document logins, DNS records, and renewal dates

– Review hosting yearly

Common mistakes

Choosing on price alone, having no backups, and letting a web designer own the domain.

DBR Soft offers managed hosting and domain services with proactive monitoring. Contact us for more information.