Web Hosting - Overselling Explained

    When a host sells more space or bandwidth than they actually have available to sell, it's called overselling. An example of overselling is if a host has a server with 250gb of disk space, they may sell chunks of 25gb to 100 people all on that one server (and that's 2,500gb on a 250gb server!) This tends to be very good for the host and generally bad for the clients.

    Overselling is good for the host because it lets them offer a HUGE package that they couldn't normally offer to lure in clients. The host knows that they can oversell their disk space and bandwidth because only a few clients will ever reach their maximum. Hosts are also able to pack more clients onto a single server because a large portion of them are not even going to come close to what they are being offered. Hosts that oversell usually offer an outrageous amount of space and bandwidth for an unbelievable price but they usually don't back up the offer with quality support which leaves the clients in the dark.

    Overselling is bad for the clients in a few ways - the host is able to pack more active accounts onto a single server which increases the resource overhead and reduces the overall quality and speed of the hosting that is being given to the end client - what good is 25gb of storage if nobody is able to access it, or can only access it very slowly? Resource usage on an oversold account is usually one of the primary issues and only mentioned in the fine print of the Terms of Service. The more accounts that are on a server, the more taxed the resources on that server are.

    The level of customer service you receive with an oversold account is generally of lower quality than the service you receive from a host that does not oversell. Hosts that oversell are more interested in packing their servers with accounts than giving their clients a high level of service. Many times when there is an issue the host will simply cut the client loose rather than work to solve the issue and give the client what they need and deserve. You get what you pay for, and when you get an incredible amount of space for a ridiculously low amount of money - customer service is usually not part of the deal.

    Hosting is not just about disk space and bandwidth. There are several very important factors that determine how much hosting you are actually getting for your money. You need to ask questions and get information from your prospective hosting companies. Ask them where their servers are located, and what the server specifications are such as processor speed and ram. If the host does not know any of this information you should move on. Ask your prospective host what kind of connection the server has, and about the facility it is located in. A host may not want to reveal all of this information but generally a reputable host will answer your questions. If a host's answer is, "I don't know," I suggest you move on and keep looking. Give the sales or support representative a chance to find out the answer but do not accept, "I don't know."

    The most important thing to do once you have your only a few hosts to choose from is to read their Terms of Service very carefully. Hopefully you have narrowed your selection down to a few reputable hosts and their terms of service won't be an issue. If there are any catches or hidden fees, the Terms of Service is where they will be hidden. Shop smart and be informed. If it seems too good to be true it usually is - ask questions.

--Michael Denney
http://www.mddhosting.com/