7.PHP & Coldfusion – ColdFusion is a server-side scripting language web development tool. It uses HTML-like tags called CFML to enable back-end ODBC database connectivity as well as data manipulation and validation within webpages.. This is again an advanced option and NOT every hosting provider provide this. But PHP, Mysql is also bundled with windows hosting plans. Keep an eye on both of these.

8.Control Panel – This is nucleus of your website. In a Control Panel, popularly known as CP, you can literally do anything. The moment you signup for a Hosting Pack, you must be provided with a CP to manage your webspace.

9.POP3 email Ids & Aliases - yourname@yourdomain.com is an example POP3 ID. You must be provided with ample of POP3 email ids and it depends on Package size.

10.FTP Account – This is where you upload your files, delete them, update them. This again comes along with CP.

11.Backup – Most of Hosts take Automated Backups. But users do not take much care on this while choosing Hosting Pack. This feature is as essential as anyother in this list.

12.Web Statistics - Analysis of your website visitors plays a key role in success of your website. Say, your website has been launched and you get NIL Visits or More than 100 Visits per day. Whatever case may be, you can view Report using Statistics Application that run in server backend.

13.Bandwidth – Choose Hosting Plan that gives enough Bandwidth for your website. Even though you cannot judge at beginning, as time progresses, you can easily deduct Bandwidth required.

14.Webmail, SMTP & SPAM – Email becomes key part in your life once you launch website. Check if Hosts provide with WEBMAIL (mail.yourdomain.com) to check your mails thru a web based interface using Squirrelmail or Horde. Corporate Users prefer downloading mails thru Email Clients such as Eudora or Outlook Express. Only if SMTP or IMAP support is enabled you can use this option. Hence check if SMTP support is provided.No email user is free from a spam attack. Hence you need to have Spam Filters installed on server where your website resides.

15.IP – If your website prefers SSL Support (https://) as time grows, makes ure you get a DEDICATED IP. Most of websites are hosted on shared IPs. Ask your Hosting Provider about extra charges involved in getting a dedicated IP and SSL Support. Note : For SSL (https://), you need to buy a Digital Certificate.

Do write to me with your comments and views. My email : siva@aalphanet.com

Teeyes Siva Sales Head – Aalphanet.com

With Auto responder, there was a spam check program. I’d never used that before, but I ran a few sample newsletters through spam check. Boy, was I in for a shock. Every single one failed to pass test. My auto responder is probably like most others, it has a scoring system and once it passes 5 it flags up that your newsletter would trigger spam filters.

What I found most disturbing was that it was my domain name of martinsoffers.com that was scoring most, 4.3 points each time it was mentioned. And 2.3 points because my email address was @martinsoffers.com.

Even a single word newsletter with just www.martinsoffers.com scored 6.6. Way above threshold.

The cost to me, as a result of this has not just been to register a new domain name. I have had to completely redesign my website with my new name on it. Cancel and reopen a new account with my auto responder. And start again with my Reciprocal Links Exchange.

I have also had to start again from scratch with Google Ranking. And I have a domain name that is next to useless to me or to anyone for that matter. I only use it now to direct traffic meant for martinsoffers.com to my new website.

So, that’s my story, and my warning to you.

Before you go and register a new domain name, run it through a spam check. If you are going to use your web site for marketing last thing you want is for spam filters to stop your email getting through.

Martin Wood’s newest report “What’s in a Name? and many other articles, written by experts, are available to read on his website http://www.twahs.com . Don’t forget to subscribe to his weekly ezine “Home Business Tips.”