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Web Hosting Services

Web hosting services have transformed themselves from uninvolved providers of rack space to full-bore consulting organizations that manage major IT functions and keep your Web site running smoothly. In today's shrinking economy, outsourcing these functions has become a viable alternative to developing and maintaining comparable in-house expertise.

Price and quality are only two elements to consider when you're shopping for a Web hosting partner. Low-priced providers might not deliver adequate services, while top-quality outfits take a huge bite out of your budget. And despite the current vendor emphasis on added services, there are cases where a simple collocation arrangement will be the best fit (see "Moving Day"). Evaluating the complexity of your project is key.

A balance of expectations is equally important. As much as managed hosting providers want to give customers everything they demand (five-nines uptime, full-redundancy with real-time failover), sometimes the technology simply won't support the promises and demands.

We examined some of the technical limitations managed Web hosting providers still face, and in our RFI, we scrutinized how six companies would work with our fictional wine maker to come up with a feasible, affordable managed hosting arrangement. Ultimately, EDS, a traditional outsourcing company, won our Editor's Choice award. EDS' detailed proposal and reasonable price, as well as its uncompromising dedication to security and honesty about its limitations, gave this venerable company the edge over its competition.