Checklist For Web Hosts:

Company -
dependability, stability, profitability.

People -
honesty, integrity, professionalism.

Location -
local, regional, national, worldwide.

Reliability -
uptime measured as a percentage.

Redundancy -
multiple connections to the Net.

Availability -
can handle peak traffic volumes.

Scalability -
prepared to accomodate growth.

Hardware -
fast servers with quality components.

Monitoring -
automatic checking of the network.

Backups -
good frequency and easy recovery.

Technical Support -
experienced and helpful.

Support Hours -
real 24/7 vs. promised 24/7.

Response Time -
average in minutes or hours.

Support Methods -
free/toll phone, email, IM.

Policies -
accepts or rejects offensive sites.

Fine Print -
does it contradict the big print?