When looking for a reliable hosting provider

The support desk is back, but we were run through the ringer!

First, you may notice that the help desk is now reflecting a different URL: naasupport.info

We had to move the help desk because the hosting provider was on the verge of going out of business.

The really bizarre part of it was they didn’t bother informing anyone they were going to jump ship and leave everyone prone to complete loss of data once the server went offline.

They simply carried on like everything was peachy, billed you at the 1st of the month, and then completely flipped the switch on the server 14 days later.

You would assume that since it was a US-based hosting provider you would be less prone to something like this happening. Not so!

Here are a few tips when picking a good host:
(This is primarily for non-shared dedicated services, which are usually a bit more expensive than an average shared environment hosting provider)

-No phone number to call. This of course is just my opinion. This is not to say that there are not good providers who successfully conduct their entire customer support via a help desk. I just think it’s odd for a company not to provide the means to be able to call and speak to someone when you have an issue. Oh, and if you happen to stumble upon a phone number and get a fella on the other end who says “Hi, this is Peggy” in a man’s voice, slam the phone down and look some place else!

-Elusive address cloaking. I am sure you get the point. If you can’t to make heads or tails on where the company is actually located… then you could be dealing with a ‘mom & pop shop’ second rate company. If you see a P.O. BOX for an address, I guess this is okay, but it could also mean the company is not well enough funded and is using a UPS store, or “Mail boxes etc.” for their ‘store front’.

The main point is if you are looking to get into a dedicated environment, then it would behoove you to make sure each element of a well run company exists – i.e. A phone number where someone actually picks up; an actual address where the company resides.

Just some food for thought when looking for a reliable hosting provider.

The company we use to host the main site of NAA is http://www.theplanet.com/

We have been very satisfied with their services; and we can actually make a phone a call 24/7 and get technical support if needed.

I hope this has been somewhat helpful.