Anyone wanting to create their own website will probably be on the lookout for the best content management system (or CMS) to meet their needs. Drupal is rapidly emerging as one of the top contenders in this field as it is incredibly flexible and suited to a multitude of uses. As it is also an open source platform it is free to use which is another attractive facet. While Drupal is known to be a little more complex than some of its rivals, like Joomla, it is pretty simple to extend with only limited technical skills. Thanks to the many innovative administrative and authoring tools that are available today, it is easier than ever to manage and create a Drupal website. Drupal also benefits from a particularly well designed code which makes it high performing and reliable to use as well as allowing for easy updating to ensure that you are running the most up to date and secure software version. Drupal can be used for a broad spectrum of websites and web applications, and has been used to create some very high profile sites such as those from Greenpeace and NASA. It is therefore very important to make the right choice of the best Drupal hosting to meet your needs and to tap into the huge potential of this popular content management system.
What are the Advantages of Choosing a Specific Drupal Shared Hosting?
While many providers are able to offer web hosting that can run a Drupal website, if you choose a specific Drupal shared hosting, you will benefit from a host of features specifically designed to improve and cater to the performance needs of this content management system. The best web hosting for Drupal providers ensure that they offer unlimited bandwidth and the generous amount of disk space required to load Drupal created web pages seamlessly and in minimal time. Drupal makes it extremely simple to create multiple websites, however if you want to avoid the extra hassle and expense of paying for separate Drupal hosting contracts for each website you should opt for one of the best Drupal hosting providers that allow for multiple websites included within the package price. Unlimited domain hosting is the best Drupal shared hosting option. If you already have a Drupal website that you wish to migrate from another provider to a specific Drupal shared hosting you should look for one of the best hosting for Drupal options that allow free transfers of websites. Alternatively, if you are looking at creating your website from scratch, the best Drupal hosting solutions ensure that you can download free Drupal themes and modules to improve the appearance and functionality of your web pages.
What Features are Essential in the Best Web Hosting for Drupal?
When choosing the best web hosting for Drupal there are several considerations that you must bear in mind if you want to get the most potential out of your Drupal created website. Here are some of the essential features that you need to look out for to ensure that you are choosing the best hosting for Drupal to meet your website’s individual needs.
Is It Compatible?
There are certain technologies which are essential to run a Drupal created website and failing to ensure that you choice of web hosting company offers these technologies could cause serious problems for your website. You will require a MySQL database server, programming language PHP and an Apache web server to guarantee that you will be able to run your Drupal website, and you may even need a specific version of any or all of these technologies dependant upon which version of Drupal you are using. Choosing a host that offers the very latest version of Drupal will guarantee that you are getting the best in terms of reliability, stability and security.
Is It Easy to Install?
If you are an experienced user, installing Drupal should not be too much of an issue, however the best Drupal hosting solutions ensure that novices are also easily able to install and access Drupal by providing it as a one click installation. Choosing a host which has the necessary utilities to create the required database and install the vital software automatically is the best choice as all the user has to do is complete the required administrative details and then the application is installed with a single click of the mouse.
Do You Have Enough Domains and Databases?
Just like Joomla and other content management systems, Drupal is very database intensive so finding a database-rich provider is essential. If you choose a company that offers a package with multiple databases then you can guarantee that you will be covered for your use of Drupal together with any other applications or add-ons.
Should you wish to run Drupal as well as another traditional website or blog you will need to choose a provider that offers multiple domains as an option. This will save you the time and cost of arranging and paying for multiple accounts.
Do They Have Expertise With Drupal?
While Drupal does benefit from an extensive community of users who are able to solve any problems or answer any queries that you may have regarding its use, as an open source program Drupal does not have any official corporate customer service to contact in the event of an issue arising. For this reason it makes sense to choose the best Drupal web hosting solution that has an expertise in the field as they will be better placed to offer technical support and advice should you encounter any problems or difficulties.
Is Their Infrastructure Reliable?
While Drupal itself has a reputation as a reliable CMS platform without a reliable hosting infrastructure your website will still be slow to load. Be certain to choose the best web hosting for Drupal that has technologically advanced servers, a redundant network and reliable equipment to make sure that your site functions to its best potential.
What Else is Important When Choosing Cheap Drupal Hosting?
When looking for cheap Drupal hosting, one of the factors that you will probably want to consider is whether the company offer a money back guarantee. This will give users complete peace of mind when they sign up for an account contract that they will be able to cancel their subscription and receive their money back in full should they decide within the designated period that the chosen package does not meet their needs. When comparing different Drupal hosting providers, look at the period specified in the money back guarantee as some companies offer as little as 14 days while others are prepared to give a 90 day guarantee.
It is also important to check the reliability and reputation of the cheap Drupal hosting you have selected. Sometimes the lowest prices come with a trade off against quality, features and service so sometimes it is worth choosing a slightly more expensive package to ensure that you are getting the best value for money. Make sure that you are getting a package that meets your needs with the essential features and customer support that you require to make the most of your website’s potential.