I expect this is a small selection of the queries you might have about such a complex and critical process. If I have not addressed your issues on this page, feel free to contact me and we’ll have a chat.
No. My policy has always been that I focus on the active task of designing and developing websites, and in the immediate process of technical support. I’ve been around hosting for long enough to know what I am good at and the real-world demands of maintaining servers.
The common practice for developers is to repackage hosting and sell it on behalf of a larger provider. In eschewing this I’m probably not very savvy, but I sleep sounder knowing I am not beholden to a third party for the day-to-day upkeep of my clients’ websites. That responsibility, in my view, is best left to those who live and breathe this stuff; the task of hosting is a demanding job that requires the full capacity of any one person, or organisation.
Yes! I’ve worked with the best and the very worst. It gives me great pleasure to know that my clients’ websites sit on fast and secure platforms. Conversely, my soul dies a little when I’m required to sift through the dusty, haggard control panels of age-old providers.
This does depend on your goals and budget, but broadly speaking I would say that a good web host should include:
- one-click restore for when you need it
- baked-in speed and security measures
- the means to spin up a staging website
- unfettered access to all areas of the control panel without locking you behind tantalizing upsells
Beware of critical features (such as backups) being sold to you for an additional cost. Those should, in my view, be a given in 2027.
Obviously there are cases where more complex websites require refined and very specific specs. Where this is the case we can discuss what’s required.
I can certainly try. You’d be surprised at the longevity of long-forgotten website files. Wherever possible I can work with you – liaising with other providers if needed – to retrieve critical assets from across the web.
