Web Hosting Review
My work in the IT industry exposes me to many different technology areas. The company I work for is primarily a Network Systems Integrator, serving small/medium sized business in greater Chicagoland. Our system engineers work in the field installing, maintaining and trouble-shooting server-based network systems. We offer limited web services but do not consider web hosting a core competency. That said, I’ve come to learn a lot about the “plumbing” of web techologies over my career.
When I decided to launch this blog and some other hobby sites, I researched carefully the myraid options available for web hosting - including do it for “free” on my company’s servers. After researching many providers, I recalled seeing a big ad for 1 and 1 Internet Services in Business Week, a small/medium business focused magazine. They claimed to be the World’s Largest Web Hosting Company, but I really had not heard of them before. I learned they are actually based in Germany and technically are Europe’s largest web host, but with a growing presence in America.
I signed up with them almost a year ago and have launched a number of sites and blogs - including CubHub.net and this site. Their pricing structure is astonishingly affordable, the tools and options inluded with even thier most basic hosting packages are excellent, and unlike many hosting companies, 1&1 offers telephone based technical support. Being able to get someone on the phone for technical or account questions is a huge benefit for even technically savvy people like me. No one has all the answers, and being able to access live support has been great. I’ve called in on 3 or 4 issues related to enhancements and tools they provide and once with an account question. Each encounter has been quickly responded to and resolved. I can’t say enough about how good my support experience with 1&1 has been.
Today I see an article in Information Week on 1&1’s new Data Center near Kansas City. It features capacity for 40,000 rackmounted servers, redundant multi-Gigabit fibre links, and a backup power generator that can run for a week with the fuel on hand. This is a serious facility.
If you are in the market for your own blog or to host a website, you can’t go wrong with 1 and 1 Internet. (note: If you click through from my 1&1 link, I get a credit toward my bill - that’s all good!)
