When I first started writing blogs and building small websites, my hosting requirements were minimal, which is why I opted to host with 1and1, using their Business shared web hosting package, which allowed me to host three websites for just under GBP10 per month. The 1and1 package was ideal for me as I was starting out. The control panel is very user friendly, there are various web tools, traffic analysers, the ability to set up blogs on the server, such as WordPress, plus many other added features such as a photo archive, form mail, guest books, etc.
However, one day I decided I wanted a fourth website to host, and as it would have cost me around another GBP5 for an extra site, I decided to search for a better solution. I decided that I should think more long term, and look for a company that would allow me to easily host many sites. My friends and family were showing more interest in the internet and website/blogs, so I thought that this would be an opportunity to help them out by finding a web host large enough to accommodate my sites plus any that my family may want to host, thus saving us all some money. I need a web host that will allow multiple domains to be hosted with no extra cost. What I eventually found was Jumpline.com, where I am hosted now. With Jumpline, for USD15 a month (about GBP7.50) you can host 20 websites, and set up 10 FTP accounts, which means you can set up family with FTP access to their directory too, so their blogs and websites have separate logons, and they cannot access the operating files on the directory.
However, it turned out that Jumpline provided much more than just extra websites. In addition to the 20 websites, and Jumpline also give far more control to the customer as they provide VDS web hosting, rather than the standard shared web hosting, so that I can, if I need, restart the Apache servers, back up all files, set up any MySQL databases, install any programs that I like etc.
Most popular Jumpline product is the J2-VDS, which includes:
- 2,000 MB Disk Space
- Host 20 Domains/Virtual Hosts
- 30,000 MB Bandwidth Transfer
- 10 FTP Accounts
- 150 POP Email Accounts
- 200,000 Files
- Dedicated IP Address
The 1and1 Business package includes:
- 4 GB web space
- 1000 POP3 accounts
- 40 GB monthly traffic
- 10 Virus Scans included
- 1&1 Chat
- 2 MySQL databases
- £400 of Software Free
The main advantage of the Jumpline web hosting over 1and1 is the VDS web hosting.
With VDS web hosting you get:
- Your own Web Server
- Administrative Privileges (chroot)
- Independent File Structure
- Ability to Install Applications
- Your own Mail Server
- Your own Database Server
- Multi-Layered Security
- Ability to Host Multiple Web Sites
Jumpline also provide excellent support for web development, with the following built in to the package:
- ChiliSoft (ASP) – 4.0.2
- Perl – 5.8.5
- FrontPage 2002 Extensions
- PHP – 5.1.4
- Graphics Magick – 1.1.7
- Python – 2.4.3
- Mod_perl – 1.9.9
Jumpline also offer some excellent collaboration tools to maximise your web page “stickiness”:
- Auto Responders
- Majordomo – 1.95
- Gallery – 2.1
- Neomail (WebMail) – 1.27
- Guestbook – 1.1.3
- PhpBB – 2.0.21
- Jumpline.com Address Book
- Php Formmail – 2
- Jumpline.com myCalendar
- PhpMyNewsletter – 0.8
- Jumpline.com WebMail
- WordPress – 2.0.2
Additional bandwidth with Jumpline is only an extra USD5.oo per month for 1000Mb.
1and1 do offer a good software package with their hosting, which includes:
- NetObjects Fusion 8
- PhotoImpact 11 SE
- Hello Engines! 4.0
- Ranking Toolbox 4.0
- WISE FTP 3.0
- Gif Animator 5
- 1&1 Internet Tuner
However, this package done not provide much that cannot be downloaded for free, or at least for which an open source solution is available. It is really for beginners, and there is not really a great amount of support from 1and1 with using the packages.
The key differences between VDS hosting and shared hosting are:
With VDS hosting, you get:
Full Administrative Control
The ability to install your own applications
An isolated secure environment
Dedicated Web Server
Dedicated Mail Server
Dedicated Database Server
Dedicated FTP Server
With shared hosting, you get:
- Limited Control
- Shared Applications
- Shared Environment
- Shared Web Server
- Shared Mail Server
- Shared Database Server
- Shared FTP Server
Both 1and1 and Jumpline are good economical packages, but I think that Jumpline has the edge over 1and1 mostly because of the ability to host 20 websites, and to be able to install application and have complete control over the web server.
