Domain and web hosting for your website. How to make the right choice

Domain and hosting are crucial elements for creating business or personal projects on the internet. A domain is a web address that allows users to find a website or service, while hosting provides the physical location of the site on the internet, ensuring its constant availability. These two elements are the main conditions for creating a website, so making the right choice is very important for the development of a project or business.

In the 21st century, online presence is one of the most important steps for anyone wanting to enter the digital world, whether it's a personal blog, business branding, or a commercial project.

Although these steps may seem simple, they still involve a number of complexities that can seriously harm your projects. This is why in today’s guide, we will thoroughly examine the steps involved in this process, using HayHost.am as an example-a company offering well-known web hosting and domain registration services in Armenia.

The article consists of the following main points:

• Domain selection and registration
• Types of web hosting and how to obtain it
• What to consider when choosing a service provider
• Conclusion

Domain Selection and Registration

The first step in bringing a website into the online space is domain registration, which involves replacing a complex IP address with an easily pronounceable and memorable name. To do this, you need to choose a domain name, then visit a company’s website that specializes in domain registration, and enter your desired domain name in the search bar (e.g., www.imkayq.am).

If the domain name you've chosen is unavailable, don’t worry. HayHost.am has an automatic search generator that will suggest several available domain alternatives, as similar as possible to the name you chose.

It's also worth noting that HayHost is the official registrar of the national top-level domain “.am” which allows purchasing these domains at the most affordable prices. Additionally, HayHost’s functionality allows you to transfer an existing domain to the platform’s infrastructure. If you register a domain for more than one year or renew it, you will receive more favorable pricing offers.

Web Hosting

Choosing the right web hosting requires thorough research, as it is important to understand your website’s concept and the types of hosting that best fit your needs to effectively implement your plans. Using hosting services requires a broad understanding of the topic, but the process can be significantly simplified by choosing the right company that provides hosting services.

For example, companies like HayHost offer the widest range of web services, including all types of web hosting:

Shared Hosting - This is the most popular choice among users. It involves multiple websites hosted on one common server, with one of them being yours. Websites on such a server share the same software and have resources depending on the selected plan. This option has two main advantages: low cost and no need to manage processes or the server. Shared hosting is typically used by owners of the following types of websites:

• Personal pages
• Small online stores
• Websites running on CMS platforms like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal
• Portfolio websites
• Forums and blogs
• Startups or new businesses
• Educational websites

Virtual Private Server (VPS/VDS) - Unlike shared hosting, a physical server is divided into several virtual servers in this case. Each of these servers can be rented by the website owner based on the selected plan. The main advantage of VPS is the full control over the server’s software and the flexibility in distributing resources. The range of websites suitable for this service is much broader. Here are some examples:

• Corporate websites with medium to high traffic
• Game servers for small online games
• SEO and marketing platforms with built-in tools
• Websites requiring a high level of security (banks, financial institutions, government bodies, etc.)

Dedicated Server - At the HayHost data center, the user is provided with a dedicated physical server, the entire resources of which are allocated exclusively for their website. Such services are usually purchased by website and application owners who need all of the server’s resources for stable operation. Examples include:

• E-commerce websites (platforms with multiple online stores)
• Large corporation websites
• Streaming and media platforms
• SaaS platforms (Software as a Service)
• Servers for large gaming projects
• Websites for testing web development results
• Healthcare and telemedicine platforms
• IoT applications

Hosting at HayHost

At HayHost.am, you can rent servers from well-known brands like Dell, HP, and others.

Server Colocation - If you have your own server but lack a high-speed internet connection or a data center to host it, HayHost can solve this problem with its server colocation service. The client simply brings their server to the HayHost data center, and the company’s specialists take care of the server’s maintenance and management.

What to Consider When Choosing a Service Provider

Let’s go over the key factors to keep in mind when selecting a web hosting service provider.

• Own Servers and Data Centers - Make sure the company you choose is not just a web hosting reseller because in that case, you will pay a premium but receive poor-quality connections and, in the event of an emergency, might not get adequate support. Choosing hosting services from HayHost resolves this issue, as the company has its own servers and data center in Armenia, allowing local website owners to achieve the highest possible connection speed and website performance efficiency.
• Security - This refers to both physical and digital security of the servers. Servers are often targeted by hackers, and technical issues or fires are among the leading causes of server failures. With HayHost, these problems are eliminated. The company adheres to the highest security standards, has data backup systems, security connection monitoring, access authentication, high-level physical security, round-the-clock monitoring, climate control sensors, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, fire suppression systems, and more.