Hosting refers to the renting of computers somewhere in the world to store the code and content of the website.  A website is a series of instructions written on computers with hard drives that serve the information to other computers when requested over the Internet.  This is why hosting packages are stored on computers which are called servers.

What am I paying for ?

The cost of hosting is the rental of that computer space and payment for the energy to run those computers 24 hours, seven days a week for a given period.  Also, part of that cost is paying the company from which this service is rented to maintain those computers in physical, functional and security terms.  You can think of this paying for computers to house your website and make sure it is always available.

Which company and package should I pick ?

There are many companies from which you can buy hosting.  Picking the right company is buyer beware.  It is important to pay for a dependable service from a well run company.  It is important to pick a hosting package with capacity sufficient enough serve information to the visitors which come to a website.  Each time a page is opened, each time a link is clicked or a picture drawn on screen, some computers have had to do work which has taken up a relative amount of time and energy.  This work done can be thought about in terms of time, energy, money, human input and also production of carbon dioxide via the energy used.  These are all costs which must be accounted for that is why I have researched a hosting option which is managed with the environment in mind.  If you are shopping around and looking at what different companies are offering you can find a variety in the toolkit on the righthand sidebar.

What hosting services do I use at Social Server ?

Social Server offers all included package deals which have managed hosting as a part of them. All you need to attend to is creating the content for the website and I will set up your hosting space and technically maintain it for a small annual service fee or let you handle your hosting yourself once the website has been built.

What company does Social Server use ?

Social Server uses Greendata Hosting for webdevelopment for a number of reasons.  They are a well established, reliable company, their technical support is excellent, their datacenters are BSI ISO 14001 environmentally managed and they are BSI ISO 27001 accredited for Information Security Management.  The hosting environment they offer is Hepsia which gives control over server settings which Cpanel does not.

After spending a great deal of time researching different hosting providers, the choice was based upon the use of the Pulsant datacenters.  They are the UK’s leading secure hybrid IT and cloud hosting provider responsible for supplying large established public and private sector companies.  With an excellent reputation and technical services, they are also appointed provider of hosting IT and Datacentre services to Her Majesty the Queen.

Especially important is the ISO 27001 Information Security Management accreditation (ISO/IEC 27001:2013). This is the international standard which describes best practice for an ISMS (information security management system). Achieving accredited certification to ISO 27001 demonstrates that the company is following information security best practice, and provides an independent, expert verification that information security is managed in line with international best practice and business objectives. ISO 27001 is supported by its code of practice for information security management, ISO/IEC 27002:2013.

Essential also is the ISO 14001 Environmental management accreditation.  ISO 14001 is an internationally agreed standard that sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. It helps organizations improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, gaining a competitive advantage and the trust of stakeholders.  An environmental management system helps organizations identify, manage, monitor and control their environmental issues in a “holistic” manner.

As members of The Green Grid, they act as a part of a network which is constantly trying to ensure that the impact of technology on the environment is minimised and energy used efficiently.  Members of the Green Grid include industry end-users, policymakers, technology providers, facility architects, and utility companies around the world to drive more efficient use of resources in data centers.