Select a Multi-Domain Web Hosting Provider
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What Is It?
A Multi-Domain capability means that a Web host provider offers the ability for a Web master or Web site content owner to host multiple domains on one server. Usually, the Webmaster or Web site content owner will need to choose one domain to become the main domain on that server, and the other domain names and Web sites will become sites that exist under that main domain site as subdomains. Most sub-domains retain the ability to control domain-name specific email accounts, FTP access, and other services. Multiple domain hosting merely provides Web host providers and users with a means to cut costs, as hosting multiple domains on one server often is considered as a better way to allocate resource utilization.
Who Is it For?
Multi-domain hosting is for anyone who want to acquire space on one server for multiple sites. For instance, a Webmaster may want to utilize extra space on a server for different domain names. Multi-domain hosting allows that Webmaster to move several Web sites onto that server for the same price as it would cost for one site to be hosted on that server.
Other ways to utilize this space is to rent it out to other Web site owners who need Web hosting. This ’sharing’ allows the main user to cut costs as that person can rent the space to the other Web site owner. Finally, another way to utilize multi-domain servers is to park several domain names on that server and have them point to the main site on that server.
Features
Web host providers who offer multi-domain servers also offer a wide variety of services and servers for multi-domain hosting. For instance, some multi-domain hosting is provided on grid servers, while others are offered through clustered servers. This variety means that the Web manager needs to seek a host that offers a great deal on bandwidth as well as storage space. Bandwidth is necessary to handle spikes in traffic caused by one site over another, and storage is necessary to handle site contents. The latter issue can become problematic if all the hosted sites on that multi-domain server utilize databases, as those applications can surge with usage and with an increase in traffic to any site on that server.
Beyond bandwidth and storage, the top-level site owner needs to consider whether the other domains hosted on that server require use of FTP, CGI, statistics and more. Some hosts will provide all the features offered to the top level domain to the sub domains. Some Web hosts offer features only to the top level domain user, and not to the other domains. However, that last situation is rare.
Usually the Web site manager for the top-level domain or site is the manager for the entire server, even though the subdomain managers may have access to everything offered to the main domain. The only complication to this arrangement is that the owner of the top level domain cannot move that domain name to another server unless the subdomains also are moved to other servers. The subdomains must be moved before the main domain is free to be moved.
Compatibility
Multi-domain Web hosting services vary from provider to provider, depending upon whether that provider hosts sites on Windows or Linux servers. Services provided also depend upon whether that Web hosting service offers the means to use various applications and if those applications will be available to all subdomains as well as the main domain.