How Multiple Server Hosting impacts your websites uptime
This article describes the technology behind multiple server hosting and how you may utilize it to maximize your site's security and uptime Hosting of web sites has essentially become a commodity. There is very little distinguishing one hosting company from the next. Core plans and features are the same and price is no longer a true determining feature. In fact, choosing a host based on the cheapest price can be more expensive in the long term with respect to reliability issues and possible loss of sales as a result of website downtime. Selecting a host from the thousands of providers and resellers can be a very daunting task, which may result in a hit and miss approach. But although hosting may have become a commodity, one distinguishing feature that you must always look out for is reliability. At the heart of any hosting company's reliability is redundancy. This ensures that if a problem exists at one point, there will be an alternative which ensures continuity as seemlessly and transparently as possible. Most hosts do employ redundant network connections. These are the high speed pipes that route data from the server to your web browser. But, redundant 'multiple web servers' have been extremely rare and very expensive, requiring costly routing equipment which has previously been used only in mission critical applications of Fortune 500 companies. However, a very neat but little known Domain Name Server(DNS) feature called 'round robin' allows the selection and provision of a particular IP address from a 'pool' of addresses when a DNS request arrives. To understand what this has to do with server reliability it's important to remember that the Domain Name Server (DNS) database maps a host name to their IP address. So instead of using a hard to remember series of numbers (IP address) we just type in your web browser www.yourdomain.com, to get to your website. Now, typically it takes at at least 2 to 3 days to propagate or 'spread the word' of your DNS info throughout the internet. That's why when you register or transfer a domain name it isn't immediately available to the person browsing the web. This delay has stymied the security benefits of hosting your site on multiple servers, as your site would be down for a couple of days if something went awry with one server. You would have to change your DNS to reflect your second server and wait days before the change was picked up in routers on the internet. However, the round robin DNS strategy solves this predicament, by mapping your domain name to more than one IP address. Select hosting companies now employ the DNS round robin technique in conjunction with'failover monitoring'. The DNS round robin failover monitoring process starts by a web hosting company setting up your site on two or more independent web servers (preferably with different IP blocks assigned to them). Your domain name will therefore have 2 or more IP Addresses assigned to it. Then the failover monitor watches your web server(s) by dispatching data to a URL you specify and looking for particular text in the results. When the system detects that one of your IP addresses is returning an error, and the others aren't, it pulls that IP address out of the list. The DNS then points your domain name to the working IP address/s If any of your IP's come back online they are restored to the IP pool. This effectively and safely keeps your site online - even if one of your web servers is down. The average failure detection and recovery time with a system like this can be as low as 15 minutes. This time varies depending on the speed of your site and the nature of the failure and also how long other ISP's cache (save) your DNS information. The time taken for other ISP's caching your information can be manipulated in the failover monitor by lowering the "time to live" (TTL) cache settings. These are the settings that other ISP's will use to determine how long to cache your DNS information. Of course you must bear in mind the matter of how frequently data is synchronized between your website's servers. This will be the hosting company's responsibility, and this may become complicated where databases and user sessions are involved. The very expensive hardware based failover monitoring systems that point a virtual IP address to other ISP's, while behind the scenes juggling a number of unique IP addresses on different servers, is of course the most 'elegant' solution to multi server hosting. That way, the whole issue of ISP's caching your information does not come into play. Therefore, for site's that need to have true 99.99995% uptime, without huge outlays of money, the technology is readily available and certain proprietory failure monitoring systems are now relatively cheap to apply. About The Author Godfrey Heron is the Website Manager of the Irieisle Multiple Domain Hosting Services company.Signup for your free trial, and host multiple web sites on one account: http://www.irieisle-online.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Web HostingTheStorygroup.com, GA - Nov 20, 2008Professional web hosting services featuring premium performance and 24/7 phone support. Plans include an extremely rich feature set and start at just ... |
UK Web Hosting Site Studyhost Goes LivePress Release 365 (press release), FL - Nov 20, 2008HULL, UK -- New UK Based Web Hosting Company Studyhost opened its doors today and went live on the internet. The people behind Studyhost have over 7 years ... |
Web-Hosting - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Have Several Websites But Pay For Only One Websites Hosting
Many online entrepreneurs these days are faced with the problem of running several websites and having to maintain several web hosting accounts for the various sites. Actually there is a very simple and effective solution to this problem.
Does Your Host Fight Spam?
Virtually anyone with an email address knows what Spam is, and has, perhaps, considered giving up the speed, convenience, and simplicity of email because of it. Those who have their own websites are more vulnerable than the average person with a single work or home email address from their company or Internet Service Provider.
How to Choose the Web Hosting Provider?
1. Does the company offer telephone support or 24/7 email support?24/7 Email support is always nice to have available, they can reply you within 1-2 hours.
Top 6 Ways to Promote Your Web Hosting Business Part 2
Here are the following three methods that can help you improve your web hosting business. These three are targeted towards the service you provide:1.
Web Hosting Solutions In Birmingham
Once you have a website you then need to think about hosting your site. There are many hosting companies offering different fees, therefore it can be quite difficult in finding the best deal.
Choosing the Right Web Host
So you've decided about your website design and now you are ready to have your website hosted!When choosing the right web host, they are several factors to consider:I. How often is the web server up?II.
Choosing a Right Hosting Solution
You must have done all the hard works for developing your website but when it comes selecting your host you may face trouble that it does not have all the features which is required by your site. I know there are 100's of instance where a newbie or startup website owner suffered heavy losses in terms of money, delayed projects, financial debts and other things.
Unlimited Wealth Creation Through Reseller Hosting
Web hosting can be an exciting business start up for aspiring entrepreneurs. All you have to do to set up your business is become a hosting reseller, i.
The #1 Factor New Webmasters Forget to Consider when Choosing a Web Hosting Plan
The ProblemToo often new webmasters sign-up with the first good hosting plan they see; they purchased a domain name, built up a site, generated a small income, and decided "Hey, this works, I should make another site". From there the webmasters purchase a new domain and begin working on a new site only to realize that their hosting plan supports only 1 pointed domain; they will have to purchase an entirely new hosting plan for each new domain name.
How To Build A Successful Hosting Company
There are a couple of key things to look at when starting a hosting company. Basically there are four major factors to look at provided you have the servers, and technical abilities.
How to Transfer Your Web Site to a New Web Hosting Service?
There are various reasons why an online business owner like you has decided to switch to a new web hosting providers. Your old web hosting provider probably has very poor technical support, or their web server is always down, or may be your old web hosting provider cannot meet your hosting requirements anymore or you could have discovered a cheaper web hosting service?and etc.
Top 5 Mistakes that May Drive Your Visitors Away in Less Than 2 Minutes
You took the leap. You set up a website to display your importantmessage.
Good Web Hosting - What Is It?
With hundreds of web hosting companies to choose from today it can be hard to know which ones are actually worth using. Below is a guide of things to look for in a web host:Services - A lot of times we are sold on the idea that bigger is better.
Web Hosting - How To Choose The Right Provider For You
Thousands of companies, tens of thousands of different plans and only a few of them are really suitable for your web site and for your online needs.This is what you are confronted with when choosing a web-hosting provider.
Setting up Your Personal Server
There are many things to consider when setting up your own server. We wouln't encourage a novice for the job.
Choosing the Perfect Deluxe Web Site Hosting Plan
If you are looking for a deluxe web site hosting plan there are some important considerations before you make a choice. Everyone has different needs so what is deluxe for you might be completely different for someone else.
Hosting Your Own Web Server: Things to Consider
Are you disgusted or disappointed with your current web host? Have you switched web hosting companies too many times? Have you thought of hosting your own website(s)? Do you have the ambition to control and manage your own web server?If you answered 'yes' to the questions above, then you may be ready to host your own sites. This article will give you things to consider while making the switch.
Web Hosting: 4 Factors in Choosing a Hosting Company
When choosing a web hosting company there are a whole lot of different factors that should go into your decision making process. One of the biggest factors should be:1) Phone support.
Cheap Web Hosting, What To Look For And What To Stay Away From
"Bargains for sale, Unlimited Hosting for only a Dollar.""Get your hosting here, 50 cents for the first three months.
Unique Features that Leading Web Hosts are Now Offering
Some web hosts are offering more than others for the same price or even for a lower price. There is no denying the fact that as competition increases amongst web hosting services, many are looking for ways and means to stand out and be different from their competitors.
|
