Web Hosting services: FAQs

Whether a large or small business, an institution or as individual user, anyone planning on creating an online presence will require the appropriate storage space for their future website. This is where web hosting services come into play, i.e. for the provision of storage space for a website by a hosting provider (also known as a provider).

Such storage space is referred to as web space. The provision of web space on a server (a computer designed for this purpose), as well as providing the necessary network connections, is usually done at a cost. Simply put, the customers rent web space from a web hosting service provider.

In order to be able to offer customers the highest technical standards at low prices, IONOS provides web hosting in the form of shared hosting. This kind of hosting is the ideal form of web hosting for entry-level businesses. Shared web hosting servers are home to several different websites. This means that your site would share server CPU resources with other websites.

This depends on your requirements. If you are planning a simple website, consisting mostly of static HTML pages and minimal multimedia content with manageable data traffic, then our starter package is the ideal option for you. We also offer more advanced packages that are suitable for dynamic web projects and high traffic.

With our most powerful web hosting packages, you can comfortably manage resource-intensive, multimedia-based websites as well as extensive online stores and shops. Compare the respective product details to find the right web hosting packages. You will also find comprehensive instructions and detailed information on all aspects of web hosting in the IONOS Help Center.

A domain is an internet address that leads to a web server. This server stores the respective content, services and offers that you publish on your domain, i.e., the content that makes up your entire website. If you enter an internet address in the search bar of your web browser, you can retrieve the data that has been provided on the respective server. Providing adequate storage space on a web server is called hosting. Your domain is your business card on the web. It should be as simple and as distinctive as possible, so that interested parties can easily find your content on the internet. An internet address ideally consists of a short and memorable domain name and a distinctive top-level domain (also known as an extension), like .com or .org. A domain is structured like this: www.yourdomainname.com.

No, other very popular types of web hosting include:

VPS

VPS stands for virtual private server, where a server is divided into individual virtual servers. The advantage of VPS is that each website can technically be hosted on its own server, and even though hardware is still shared with other websites, the computing resources are your own.

Dedicated

With a dedicated server, you are 100% in control of your resources. This makes the website particularly stable and reliable, and you avoid issues that arise when there are traffic spikes from other websites.

Cloud

The resources needed to run your website are split across a multitude of different servers. Assembled together, they comprise the cloud.

Enterprise

Enterprise hosting comprises of custom-made offers that are tailored to suit the needs of your business. Not all providers offer this, but the ones that do are worth checking out if you think a ready-made plan isn’t a good fit for your business.

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when choosing your provider. Look for an experienced provider that can offer you a tailor-made service for your web project, as well as flexible booking options in case the need for system resources increases or decreases.

Your data should be stored among the most secure systems with strict data regulations. The provider you opt for should constantly invest in the security of your data and your IT infrastructure. Pay attention to transparent prices, flexible packages and contractual terms that best suit your needs.

Powerful IT resources and security measures come at a price and must always be state of the art to protect customers’ technical infrastructure and data effectively. When it comes to “free” web hosting plans, we recommend proceeding with caution. First, check if there are any hidden costs. Secondly, many providers tend to display advertising on their customer websites.

Even if the free basic features attract you, necessary functions or additional system resources often need to be purchased later. This ultimately results in your “free” option costing you money.

You can also operate your own server but then you bear the costs of infrastructure, security and maintenance yourself. As an experienced provider with millions of customers, IONOS offers a professional web hosting service at a low price, as well as scalable services as required. Numerous applications like WordPress and Drupal are included and can be installed in just one click.

We take care of security and technology so that you can devote yourself to your internet presence.

  • If you wish, we can provide you with web hosting without a contract period, i.e. with monthly billing and a cancellation period in the corresponding packages of only one month.
  • IONOS web hosting is ideal for running WordPress; there is a complete package available especially for this.
  • The package includes a certain amount of data storage.
  • If you have any questions: Our support is available 24/7. In addition, your personal consultant will also be at your side – completely free of charge.
  • All our web hosting packages include an SSL certificate.
  • Discover these special features and many more with our web hosting packages!

Yes, our shared hosting plan includes over 70 applications that can be installed with just a few clicks. Thanks to the quick and easy installation process, you can enjoy this wide variety of apps instantly and without any hassle. The IONOS web hosting plan provides 100% compatibility with apps such as the following, plus a whole lot more.

MediaWiki

The Wiki hosting app MediaWiki is one of the many applications included in the shared hosting plan. The software is open source, written in PHP, and allows users to create and edit webpages in the classic Wiki style – just like Wikipedia or Wiktionary. Wiki hosting is one of the most popular open source software options and works perfectly with IONOS web hosting.

phpBB

Another app installed with just a few clicks via the IONOS shared hosting package, is the popular phpBB open source forum or bulletin board system. Users can enjoy advanced administrative control panel services and extensive moderation tools.

Mantis Bug Tracker

This popular bug tracking system keeps users up to date on any project or software issues with email notifications.

Form Tools

Also available is the Form Tools app, which is ideal for anyone using forms on their website. The PHP/MySQL script allows users to manage all forms and their data in one centralized place.

Zen Cart

Zen Cart is an online store management solution for e-commerce companies. The open source shopping cart add-on transforms any blog into an e-commerce platform.

What are the essentials I’ll need for my site?

  • Traffic: Traffic means how much data is used on a website. If you have lots of visitors, you are getting a lot of traffic.
  • Web space: Web space is the storage available on the web server. It is also called storage space.
  • Domain: The domain is the name of your website. If you need to run more than one website under different names, then you may need more than one.
  • Subdomains: Some websites will have lots of different parts and sections. A subdomain helps organize these.
  • Email accounts: Perhaps you’ll need different email accounts for people to contact you.
  • Databases: Most hosting providers will allow you to create MySQL or MS SQL databases. Depending on your package, you will be able to have a certain number of them.

When you look at other hosting providers you may have noticed that there are three words in particular which are used to describe the features included in their hosting packages:

  • Unlimited: This is a tricky label, because certain things, such as data transfer speed, are not unlimited. Unlimited traffic might mean levels of traffic that cannot be exceeded.
  • Unmetered: This means that the provider is offering a set amount of web space which can be used as you see fit.
  • Scalable: This means that the amount can be adjusted to meet demand.

What should I look out for when it comes to technical configuration?

How the web hosting service is configured is an essential element to take into consideration. Most web hosting services have Linux as their operating system, but if you want to run Windows programs you may be better off choosing a package with a Windows operating system using ASP, ASP.NET and SQL Servers. The different DBMS are also a key factor in making a decision, and not all providers offer each one. Most offer MySQL or MMSQL, but if you want to use PostgreSQL or MariaDB, take a closer look to see which providers offer this. Not all web hosting providers offer SSH — this can be an important feature for those who want to use more modern solutions, as the outdated FTP is not as secure. In terms of hardware, check whether the provider offers SSD hard disks, and where the data centers are located. It is important to know which type of programming language is available, because it will change how you develop your website in the future. Ruby, Perl and Python, Node.js, SSI and CGI are the usual supported languages.

Are web hosting services expensive?

IONOS offers you attractive deals on professional web hosting. The costs vary depending on the package you opt for and the optional additional features you choose. Please refer to the respective package for more information.

Which target group is the IONOS web hosting package best suited to?

Our packages are aimed at companies, agencies, **institutions **and private individuals. Beginners will find suitable offers just as easily as bloggers, web developers, **students **and start-ups. We offer companies and agencies enough storage space and resources for multimedia company websites, brand showcases and extensive eCommerce sites. IONOS web hosting is also a suitable option for anyone who wants to move to an experienced provider.

Which security aspects do I have to consider?

  • One of the most obvious risks to site security is lack of encryption. If you have SSL for your site, hacking attacks become harder to execute, securing your online presence.
  • The different types of DDoS attacks target the different aspects of web hosting through volumetric attacks, application layer attacks and TCP state exhaustion attacks. Getting DDoS protection is therefore an important security precaution.
  • Backups are not only helpful in the cases of hacked sites, it could happen that you delete important files, or that you install a software or update that breaks the site. If you’ve backed up your website, however, there is nothing that you can’t fix.
  • The final vital security feature you should look at is whether web hosting providers enable two factor authentication (2FA). Most providers offer this, and it is an easy way to make sure only authorized users can gain access to your website.

A server, or web server, is part of the web hosting infrastructure. They are powerful computers on which both configuration files and the data of the hosted websites are stored, i.e., websites and all website content. A root server is a server with “root access” to the configuration data of a server.

The IONOS web hosting service does not offer root access as we take care of all the necessary configurations for you. If you choose a dedicated server, a virtual private server or a cloud server, you will have root access and can configure the server yourself.