E-Commerce Web Hosting Glossary of Terms – ALL
- Additional WordPress or Cart
Each hosting plan comes with a fixed amount of WordPress installations which may be WordPress Multisites.
WordPress Installation: You can have a fixed amount of maintained WordPress installations (not including any non-public facing staging and development installations) and domains pointing to it. Additional WordPress Installations are $7.00/month.
Cart Installation: You can have a fixed amount of maintained Carts installed, such as the WordPress plugins WooCommerce or GiveWP Give, and even PeepSo. Additional Cart Installations are $7.00/month.
WordPress Multisites: You can have a fixed amount of maintained WordPress Multisites with a fixed amount of total Domains/Sites (each additional Domain/Site/WordPress installation costs $7.00/month).
Typical Example Scenario: If you have our Cherry Hosting plan with a WordPress Multisite and 15 domains, each with a site and two standard WordPress Installations each with a single website domain name you will pay: $28/month extra for this service. That's calculated: as a total of 17 sites less, 13 that come with the Cherry Hosting plan totaling, four sites that will cost $7.00/Month, each.
Note: Cherry Hosting is an excellent, higher-end, entry-range web hosting plan that costs from $39/Mo. (when paid annually).
- Advanced Plugin Support
Expands Extended Plugin Support to cover Maintained Premium Items which are a handful of plugins that require a great deal of support time due to their complexity and interdependency with other plugins. Each hosting plan includes maintenance support for a number of these for free--when you have a support plan in place that covers all of your other plugins. After the free item(s), additional plugins from the list below will be charged an additional $12 per month:
Advanced Ads
- Advanced Ads All Access
Freesoul Deactivate Plugins PRO
- Freesoul Deactivate Plugins PRO
GiveWP
- GiveWP Recurring Donations
- GiveWP Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
IdeaPush
- IdeaPush Pro
LearnDash LMS
- LearnDash Core
- LearnDash Group Registration
Paid Memberships Pro
- Paid Memberships Pro
PeepSo
- PeepSo Ultimate Bundle
Search & Filter Pro
- Search & Filter Pro
The Events Calendar
- The Events Calendar Pro
Webinar And Video Conference with Jitsi Meet
- Webinar And Video Conference with Jitsi Meet Ultimate
WooCommerce
- Bookings
- Deposits
- Dokan Pro
- Subscriptions
WPAdverts
- WPAdverts Pro Plus
WP Event Manager
- WP Event Manager All Events Manager Pro
Note: Both Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support plans must be in force together, where applicable for all plugins and themes and clients cannot select support for some items only--it's all of nothing with these two plans.
- AI Engine (AI Engine Pro + OpenAI + Pinecone)
For truly modern sites a AI Engine (AI Engine Pro + OpenAI + Pinecone), A fully featured and supported AI engine installed in your WordPress installation. Which minimally includes these capabilities: Chatbot (GPT-like), Content & Images Generator, AI Playground, Templates System, AI Copilot, AI Training Capabilities, Casually Fined-Tuned, Quick Suggestions, Internal API, AI Forms, Embeddings, Content-Awareness, Statistics & Limits, and Much more to come…
- Amazon SES
To ensure the highest degree of email deliverability we send all outgoing email through the Amazon SES network. While we control the mail server itself, Amazon SES ensures that emails get delivered and we work closely with them to maintain a high reputation with recipient mail servers.
- Average CPU Core
The average amount of CPU core a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation. Note: We do not initially block requests that exceeded the allocated average CPU for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Average Database I/O
The average amount of Database throughput a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation.
Note: We do not initially block requests that exceeded the allocated average Database I/O for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Average Disk I/O Usage
The average amount of Drive throughput a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation.
Note: We do not initially block requests that exceeded the allocated average Disk I/O for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Average Entry Processes
The average number of Entry Processes a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation. This limit is generally only reached when under a DDOS attack and aiding in DDOS mitigation is its sole purpose.
Note: Note: We do not initially block requests that exceeded the allocated average number of Entry Processes for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Average File Usage
The average amount of files a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation.
Note: We do not initially block users that exceeded the allocated average file usage for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Average Processes
The average number of Processes a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation.
Note: We do not initially block requests that exceeded the allocated average number of Processes for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Average RAM
The average amount of RAM a client can consume before they will need to upgrade to a plan with a higher average resource allocation.
Note: We do not initially block requests that exceeded the allocated average RAM for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want a plan with higher resources.
- Basic Eight-Layered Security
See: Eight-Layered Security.
- Basic Maintenance
We perform mandatory core updates for all WordPress installations that are included in your hosting plan.
Note: If you decide to perform core updates yourself be advised that shops that are not well maintained will be disabled to protect against malware and damage to our network reputation.
- Basic Staging Ability
We provide the ability to easily set up an included number of Staging Sites to test proposed changes, optionally, for Self-service upgrade and testing.
Note: We'll provide a one-click solution to clone your site to test it in a separate directory or on a separate sub-domain and we'll help you if you need help securing it from public traffic.
- Basic Support Services
All of our WordPress and E-Commerce Hosting plans include these Basic Support Services:
Basic Maintenance of a Single WordPress Installation including core updates (mandatory).
Basic Upgrading of all plugins via the WordPress built-in update feature (mandatory).
Basic Security monitoring, evaluation, intrusion prevention & recovery (mandatory).
Basic Staging ability to test proposed changes, optionally for Self-service upgrade and testing.
Note: Basic Support Services does NOT include: Regular Technological Evaluation, Thorough, Regular Testing and Fixing your Broken Site. See: Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support for support for these services.
- Basic Upgrading
We perform mandatory updates to all plugins and themes (via the WordPress built-in update feature) for all WordPress installations that are included in your hosting plan.
Note: If you decide to perform plugin/theme updates yourself be advised that shops with unsafe, unsupported or out-of-date plugins will be disabled to protect against malware and damage to our network reputation.
- Built In Redundancy
You expect your website to be operational at all times and we identify the critical, common points-of-failure and build our infrastructure to withstand the breakdown of those parts while allowing for repair without downtime.
Note: this is where budget hosts fall short--it's expensive to provide ubiquitous service!
- Busy Hour Page Views
When planning to meet Traffic Peaks consult a stats program (in cPanel: Awstats, Analog Stats or Webalizer) to determine the highest Page Views during the Busiest Hour of the busiest month of the prior year and select a plan that exceeds these requirements by 25-60% (depending on your growth estimates).
- CDN
For truly global sites a AI Engine (AI Engine Pro + OpenAI + Pinecone), an external service that holds up-to-date copies of your assets close to where the visitor resides, can increase page speed, especially for those further than 3000 miles away. There's a per site fee of $10 and usage fees ranging from 2-9¢/GB.
Note: We test and match CDN provider's based on your traffic metrics.
- AI Engine (AI Engine Pro + OpenAI + Pinecone)
See: CDN.
- CPU Core
See: Average CPU Core, Maximum CPU Core.
- Daily Uptime Checks/Site
We scan and monitor your site every 60 seconds and our engineers immediately resolve any issues. Upon resolution, a supervisor also checks to ensure that the issues are indeed resolved. Additionally, a technician (that is familiar with your site) checks your front end site and reviews your log files daily.
- Database I/O
- Databases
A fast means for storing information often used by applications like the online Content Management System: WordPress. Most apps use a single database to store much of what makes the app take shape. All of the pieces of information that transform an empty application into a useful tool are likely stored in a database with the exception of the program, images and a few datasets stored in file form. Databases are typically fast, efficient and relatively portable. For instance, one can take a clone of a database and make a few changes and erect a Staging Site where their data set can be altered without effecting the original.
Note: From a website perspective, a typical configuration might be: One database for WordPress, one for a Staging Site and one for an Email App.
- Disaster Recovery Plans
We're prepared and perform Daily Off-site Backups and we're built to withstand common threats like: small scale DDOS attacks, Hackers and Malware. We also have multiple locations and plan for natural disasters, plus, the failure of third-parties as well.
- Disk I/O Usage
- E-Commerce Experts
Our company started more than 15 years ago as an online bookseller, and we still are! Since then, we've helped many companies get started and successfully run their shops. All of our staff has significant experience in e-commerce, marketing and entrepreneurship--many have their own online shops as part-time businesses. We understand every aspect of successful online sales and we're not afraid to share our expertise with you!
- Efficient
We use the fastest, low power RAM, low-power Solid State Drives and we test CPU's for real performance in a server environment--selecting the true power saver! Plus, we use proprietary, smart controllers to place unused capacity into deep power-saving sleep when not needed.
- Eight-Layered Security
We provided eight layers of security, including: monitoring, evaluation, intrusion prevention & recovery for all WordPress installations that are included in your hosting plan.
Note: Please don't bypass our security measures because shops not well maintained will be disabled to protect against malware and damage to our network reputation.
- Elastic Site
Unlike antiquated VPS's, Elastic Site's don't require separate administration, licenses, configuration, hardening, and application installation--which are the most costly and neglected aspects of virtualization. Instead, our experts manage all of those services on a 24/7 basis while your actual site is securely separated from other sites.
- Email Blast App
See: Hosting Options.
- Email Forwarders
Email forwarders allow email to be redirected to one or more different existing, bona fide email accounts either internally (on the same domain) or externally (to another domain). They allow for plain redirection or piping to a server hosted program or process as well.
Note: Care should be taken that emails are not forwarded to email accounts that don't exist and new forwarders are tested at the destination and that the forwarding email address should be marked as trusted. It is possible in some set up's that spam may be forwarded, occasionally. When spam is forwarded the destination email provider may penalize the wrong sender (not the original sender, but the forwarder) especially if they hit a "mark as spam" type button.
- Email Reputation Monitoring
We regularly monitor your email sending reputation and take all necessary steps to ensure a positive reputation--correcting any issues and rebuilding damaged reputations as needed.
- Email Spam/Virus Protection
We offer a bevy of different spam and virus tools, filters, scanners and protocols to ensure that your email arrives spam-free and without malware. Our expert email administrators can always make adjusts to ensure that your needs are being met.
- Emails Sent Per Month
We count the total emails sent from your server whether it be from Enterprise-grade Email Accounts, e-commerce applications like WooCommerce and Bulk Email Apps like phpMail towards your quota. Accounts can send up to a certain number emails per month and each additional 10,000 emails sent, or fraction thereof, costs $5.00 when prepaid. Clients will be billed at $18.00 per block of 10,000 emails for any overage.
- Enterprise-grade Email Accounts
Email and groupware like: webmail, calendar, contacts and notes that are stored and served from your domain, such as: you@example.com. Email archiving, spam filtering, routing, forwarders and other kinds of processing are also possible. We maintain your mail server, steward your reputation and ensure deliverability (transparently via Amazon SES) and you can add and delete users with ease from our control panel.
Note: Email server management is one of the more difficult aspects of a companies IT services--let our dedicated email administrators handle those challenges for you!
- Entry Processes
- Expert Email Administration
Our expert email system administrators ensure that your email accounts are set up as requested, and that all emails are properly flowing through the system blocking spam and malware while not hindering legitimate email.
- Extended Plugin Support
A plan that extends Basic Support Services in four ways:
We install, upgrade, stage and test everything to ensure that all plugins and themes work well together.
We identify and report software issues to original developers and take steps to mitigate all issues (balancing security while ensuring total cart operation) until a permanent solution from the developers is released.
When third party developers don't provide good, responsive support, we take all reasonable efforts to find solutions ourselves, which can include: forking (repairing ourselves) and workarounds (temporary solutions) at our discretion.
We carefully backup all changes and quickly deploy updates--usually during brief, non-peak hour scheduled maintenance windows--all with the resolve to keep your store fully operational.
Note: The plan costs $1 per plugin per month (with the exception of a few Advanced Plugins, which cost more).
- File Usage
- Fixing your Broken Site
One reason sites and shops break is because there are so many working parts all evolving with newly added features. When updates break your site, you really don't have very many options, and your paths forward include:
- Contacting the developer in hope that they respond quickly with a fix.
- Uninstalling the broken plugin and doing without the functionality.
- Finding another plugin that does the same or similar things in hope that it will work better.
Note: Fixing a broken site or feature can be a real challenge and having our Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support plans lifts your burden keeping your site running smoothly.
- Free Migrations
We can migrate your entire cPanel account, your shopping cart, WordPress, PeepSo or other app installations. Plus, your emails and anything else you have. We'll take an inventory of your configuration to plan the best way to do it. We can do migrations so that there is virtually no downtime. We also thoroughly review your site for vulnerabilities, malware and misconfigurations. We are careful in planning and meticulous in execution. All of this is free!
- FreeScale Days per Month
We do not initially block users that exceeded any average resource quota for a period of 3 days (the "FreeScale" period) while the client decides if they want to keep the plan that best fits. During this period, we allow the client to exceed any resource limit without added charge. After which, the client will return to their old plan (and accept limits) or they can opt to remain on the new plan to which they were automatically FreeScaled.
Note: Clients that consistently underutilize their allotted resources are periodically presented with the suggestion to downgrade to a cheaper plan--without any risk of blockage!
- FTP Accounts
FTP accounts are non-public access mechanisms typically used by those that build and maintain websites allowing for the quick transfer of files to and from their local computer and your web server.
- Fully Optimized
Every E-Commerce shop we host--whether WordPress or PeepSo based--gets uniquely optimized for speed and performance while maintaining rigorous security.
- Git
All accounts come with Git installed--the open sourced version control system for tracking changes and deploying them from source--so, developers and savvy apps don't need to move files around in old fashioned ways.
- Guaranteed Secure
We employ an eight layered security strategy to protect your site and shop from hackers, malware, bots and thieves. We are constantly re-evaluating our strategies and asking ourselves, "Is this the best, most secure way to do it?" We're known for dotting the i's and crossing the t's--and we require this kind perfection from all of our vendors and third-party providers.
- HA SSD Space
Our High Availability Solid State Drives (HA SSD) aggressively insure that your data it always available. Your data is protected by RAID redundancy and in the unlikely event of a drive failure mirrored spares serve all requests until a new drive is popped in, minutes later. We provide the fastest Time To First Byte (TTFB) speeds, ensuring that your site loads lightning fast.
- High Availability Solid State Drives
See: HA SSD Space.
- Hosting Options
Whether you have tons of users all in far away places, you have multiple WordPress installations or you send out a great deal of email blasts to your opt-in newsletter subscribers we've got you covered! No need for multiple hosting plans or external services like MailChimp, Constant Contact or Mad Mimi!
- HTTP/2
A protocol for communications between visitors and websites that is more secure and faster than before. Its improvements are: the intuitive, simultaneous transfer of data in both directions and in a form that can be more quickly read and with built in compression.
- Lightweight Virtual Environment
Our expert administrators manage securely threaded, centralized servers like: email, FTP, DNS, HTTP/2, SQL, SSH and firewall, whereas file systems are caged and separated within secure containers. VPS's, used by other companies, are rarely managed because each user interface is separate and too decentralized.
- LiteSpeed API
An open-sourced, event driven, Apache replacement that accelerates PHP, SSL and caching requests--increasing speed and performance--while decreasing CPU and memory requirements. It's especially useful during periods of peak demand.
- Maintenance
See: Advanced Plugin Support, Basic Maintenance, Basic Support Services, Extended Plugin Support, Lack of Maintenance Related Testing, Scheduled Maintenance Window.
- Maintained Cart
The number of shopping cart applications, plugins or extensions that provide discrete connections to one or more merchant providers.
Note: You may not store credit card numbers on your server and you must allow us to ensure that your cart complies with this requirement.
- Maintained Email App
Clients may either use an outside email service for the sending of newsletters and other solicited, bulk email or we'll install, maintain and support the following Opt-in Bulk Email Apps starting at $8.00/Month: phpList or Dada Mail.
Note: Each Maintained Email App comes with quotas for: Maximum Emails Sent, Total Email Attachments, and Maximum Email Subscribers. Reasonable, additional charges apply above these quotas.
- Maintained Email Archiving Policies
Based on your criteria we'll set up and maintain an Email Archiving Policy for the email processed by your server to meet any corporate compliance requirements that you may have.
- Maintained WordPress
How many publicly accessible WordPress instances you can have on this plan.
Note: Additional WordPress apps cost $7.95 and include one additional Domain/Site.
- Managed Extra Services
We can perform a variety of store operation services and support that go beyond plugin support such as:
Advanced staging and testing support.
A/B testing, design and implementation support.
Order and subscription review.
Order processing and customer support: returns, refunds, shipping delays.
Data integrity reviews.
Auditing, inventory and advanced report generation.
Design maintenance.
Advanced security reviews.
Payment processor monitoring/tasks.
Shipping and tax calculations review and reporting.
Unsupported developer application/theme forking, maintenance, review and repair.
Expert HIPAA compliance.
Expert PCI compliance.
Expert email administration.
Expert corporate compliance.
Custom coding.
Custom design.
We charge hourly for these services and we offer several prepaid and post-paid options:
Prepaid, Monthly Plans
From:$25/Hour
Commit to a Monthly, prepaid minimum and get our lowest rate plus, any unused time will rollover to following months. Note: Unused subscription funds cannot be refunded, but do not expire.
- 160 hours: $25/hour
- 120 hours: $30/hour
- 80 hours: $35/hour
- 60 hours: $40/hour
- 40 hours: $45/hour
- 30 hours: $50/hour
- 15 hours: $60/hour
- 10 hours: $65/hour
- 5 hours: $70/hour
- 2 hours: $75/hour
Hover over each for total charges and scheduling requirements.
Prepaid, One-time Plans
From:$40/Hour
Prepay for a block of time and get our lowest rate plus, any unused time will rollover to following months. Any time deficit will be billed at the indicated post-paid rate. Note: Unused funds cannot be refunded, but never expire.
- 160 hours: $40/hour
- 120 hours: $45/hour
- 80 hours: $50/hour
- 60 hours: $55/hour
- 40 hours: $60/hour
- 30 hours: $65/hour
- 15 hours: $75/hour
- 10 hours: $80/hour
- 5 hours: $85/hour
- 2 hours: $90/hour
Hover over each for total charges and scheduling requirements.
Post-paid (Billed) Standard Rate
$150/Hour
If you can't commit to a prepaid minimum block of time our Post-paid (Billed) Standard Rate applies. Subject to credit approval.
- Post-Paid Standard Rate (billed): $150/hour
- MariaDB 10.x
A better performing database that is more responsive to the needs of WordPress and other community based apps than MySQL, the old database, which has become mostly responsive to those who want to pay.
- Maximum CPU Core
The maximum amount of real, CPU cores expressed as a percentage of a single core. This setting ensures that your shop can accept massive bursts of traffic without any reduction in speed.
Note: Other hosting companies use fake core numbers (typically with VPS products) and when a user tries to utilize what would be the power of the cores that they are paying for they find that they can't use anywhere near that power. Our numbers are guaranteed to reflect real cores and not a small percentage of a core.
- Maximum CPU GHz
While CPU GHz speed isn't by itself an absolute indicator of power we do normalize all references of CPU power to the equivalent in CPU GHz to prevent any concern that you are getting some 1.2GHz decade old piece of garbage. When we guarantee you the power to burst to 1 core we mean 1 modern, specialized server core core running at 3.30GHz.
- Maximum Database I/O
The maximum amount of Database throughput a client can consume before they will be throttled.
Note: This number is very permissive and blocking is highly, unlikely. This setting is generally to prevent a misconfiguration or script malfunction rather than to curtail legitimate usage.
- Maximum Disk I/O Usage
The maximum amount of Disk throughput a client can consume before they will be throttled.
Note: This number is fairly permissive and blocking is not likely as this setting is generally to prevent a network attack or to slow down greedy processes rather than to curtail a busy website.
- Maximum Entry Processes
The maximum number of Entry Processes before there will be blocking. When a client hits this limit with mostly legitimate requests they should upgrade to a plan with more resources.
Note: If much of the traffic is an attack we will attempt to address the attackers, however, an upgrade may still be needed if the attack becomes sustained and the attack is well distributed.
- Maximum File Usage
The total number of files and folders in your home directory and all subdirectories. This figure includes the number of files within non-compressed archives and local backups and email messages, as well.
- Maximum Processes
The maximum number of Processes before there will be blocking. When a client hits this limit with mostly legitimate requests they should upgrade to a plan with more resources.
Note: If much of the traffic is an attack we will attempt to address the attackers, however, an upgrade may still be needed if the attack becomes sustained and the attack is well distributed.
- Maximum RAM
The amount of RAM (memory) you can burst to ensuring that your site loads faster at peak periods. Increasing your RAM, by moving to a more powerful plan, can greatly speed up a busy site freeing up more memory for caching.
Note: Even without much RAM, your site will perform well because resources loaded directly from the solid state drives are delivered rapidly, anyway.
- Minimum Port Speed
All traffic leaves our servers over one of many 1Gbps connections. This hosting plan guarantees a minimum speed of 15 Mbps for all of your traffic leaving our server. In reality, your port speed will be as fast as the data can flow as we rarely ever top out a port, but just in case you've got a certain, hefty minimum for your protection.
- Monthly Bandwidth
The amount of monthly data transfer between your website and the visitors to your site.
- Monthly Page Views
Monthly Page Views refers to the total number of pages served to visitors and this figure can be helpful in comparing hosting plans from different companies.
Note: We don't limit based on Monthly Page Views and provide figures on the technical specifications pages of each plan for your convenience.
- Monthly Visits
Some hosting companies limit resources or charge based on your Monthly Visits and you can compare plans from different companies by comparing the upper limits of these figures.
Note: We don't limit based on Monthly Visits and provide figures on the technical specifications pages of each plan for your convenience.
- Nightly Backups
There's a mantra among system administrators: Step One, Backup, backup, and backup again! It's sweet to have a business that you know is so well protected. It's awful to live in the knowledge that you are just a single catastrophe away from ruin. All our sites have three kinds of backups. In the rare cases where we need them, we whistle with joy that we have done our job's the right way, from step one!
- Parked Domain
Typically, a parked domain points to the same place as your main domain's public home directory to prevent cybersquatting. Main: example.com, Parked: example.net.
- PCI compliant
Our servers are engineered and maintained to specifications that well exceed PCI compliance standards.
Note: You need to use an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) and file your own Attestation of Compliance (AOC) documents. We charge $50/hour for any assistance that you may need with those documents.
- Performance Optimized
We treat each site holistically when it comes to optimization. WordPress sites are often cached using Redis and PeepSo sites are often optimized with Memcached--both residing in faster RAM.
Note: Each site is regularly reviewed and tested, and individually tweaked for high performance.
- PHP 7.x
We keep the fastest PHP installed (such as 7.x) selecting the correct version to fit your total needs especially as PHP modules evolve.
- Processes
- Quarterly Performance Audit
We inspect virtually every aspect of your website's performance--charted in a quarterly report--so, you can see that your site is doing well.
Note: We tune your hosting as part of our audit process and any remaining issues are detailed along with our recommendations.
- RAM
See: Average RAM, Maximum RAM.
- Redis
WordPress sites are often cached using Redis, a faster RAM residing database, and regularly reviewed, tested and individually tweaked for even higher performance.
- Regular Technological Evaluation
Without our Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support themes and plugins without attentive, official support channels fall into disrepair--a very common occurrence for WordPress themes and plugins!
Note: Our added support makes it our responsibility to ensure that plugins and themes are actively and properly supported. Without support, a site can quickly go from a secure, web presence to one riddled with broken features and exploits--a site just waiting to be hacked!
- Scheduled Maintenance Window
For those with our Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support plans, we carefully backup all changes and quickly deploy updates--usually during brief, non-peak hour, Scheduled Maintenance Windows--all with the resolve to keep your store fully operational.
Note: For those with Basic Maintenance, updates are made automatically without a Scheduled Maintenance Window and the client's WordPress installation momentarily shows a Maintenance message (lasting on average 30 seconds or less).
- SSH (Secure Shell)
We're happy to let developers that wish SSH access via key authentication to access their caged file space (Lightweight Virtual Server).
Note: Password authentication is not allowed--we'll show you a better way--simply open a support ticket and we'll get you setup most securely!
- SSL Certificates
We require that all services and sites use SSL encrypted connections and we setup and provide all of the SSL certificates that you may need. Additionally, we have all the tools you need to manage SSL certificates of any kind.
Note: If you want your own certificate with Extended Validation, that often shows your company name in the browser's URL bar, we can assist you in getting that installed and are happy to sell you one, as well.
- Staging Site
Our hosting plans support one or more staging site installation at no additional cost which are a useful tool to test and resolve plugin and theme related upgrade issues as well as a way to test redesigns and new, proposed features--all in a publicly inaccessible location. You can set up a staging site by cloning your live site with just a few clicks on our installer application control panel.
Note: With a support plan, we'll do all of this for you!
- Sub-Domains
A typical domain looks like: example.com. A sub-domain might be: news.example.com, where a client has setup an Email App to manage all aspects of an opt-in Newsletter. The number of sub-domains refers to the number of discrete locations where other apps and capabilities can be installed in a manner that can make them easy to get to or seem connected. In reality, a sub-domain can reside on a completely different server, in a far away place.
- Thorough, Regular Testing
The average site has several dozen components, all written by different developers, the exact combination of which is likely not found elsewhere--at least with any certain regularity. The most recent versions of all themes and plugins must be installed and, to ensure that these updates doesn't break things, the site needs to be thoroughly tested.
GPowerHost's Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support plans provide updates whenever needed: daily, weekly or monthly and with each update thorough testing is performed.
Note: Our basic support does not cover, fix or troubleshoot upgrade issues and that's why most E-Commerce shops we host use our services.
- Total Domains/Sites
Some clients have rather complex needs which may include multiple domain names or distinct websites all connected together or, built as discrete entities and our hosting plans supports a number of these.
- Total Email Attachments
Each hosting account comes with 1GB of included email attachments and each additional GB sent, or fraction thereof, costs 36¢ when prepaid. Clients will be billed at $1.50/GB for any overage.
Note: emails can often be sent in ways where the attached files (images, etc.) are actually not attached but linked from an external source. We don't charge for attachments loaded from external sources.
- Total Email Subscribers
For each plan, each Maintained Email App can have a generous maximum number of email subscribers and each additional 3,000 email subscribers over this maximum costs $15.00/Month
- Traffic Peaks and Lows
Your Traffic Peak is the period when your website is busiest and resources should be planned to exceed these high demands.
- WHM/cPanel
A comprehensive web interface that can be used to help manage your site, backups, email accounts, statistics, installations and much more.
Note: A majority of our clients never use the interface as we are happy to do most everything for them--but it's there if you want it!
- WordPress Experts!
We've built WordPress sites since 2005! Before that, we were building sites completely from scratch. Along the way we've built all kinds of sites and we generally focus on data intensive small businesses and non-profits. Today we build and host sites for hundreds of clients. To meet their needs, we've engineered our own server configurations that closely address the challenges that we've met, head-on!
- WordPress Installations
You can have a fixed number of maintained WordPress installations, based on the plan, and not including any non-public facing staging and development installations--which are free--and a fixed number of domains pointing to any of these installations.
Note: Additional installations are $7.95/month.
- WordPress Multisite
You can have a fixed number of maintained WordPress Multisites with a fixed number of total Domains/Sites.
Note: Each additional Domain/Site/WordPress installation costs $7.95/mo.
- WordPress White Screen of Death
A common reference to a blank screen with no information at all which most often happens as a result of upgrading or building a website with database or PHP errors. It can happen site wide, only on certain pages or only if a certain action is taken. If nobody is paying attention the issue can go on for days until a shopkeeper notices the dip in sales.
To catch this issue, it's important for an administrator to understand all of the updates in context which lends queues as to which features need to be tested for this and other errors. Additionally, themes and plugins need to have an active support channel with a developer in attendance so that these issues can be caught and quickly fixed.
Note: Both our Extended Plugin Support and Advanced Plugin Support plans, test for this condition while our Basic Support, included with all plans, will only notice this if it is site wide and then possibly only during the daily site check.
- WP-CLI
All accounts support the WordPress Command-Line Interface which allows developers to update plugins and themes, configure Multisite installations and more via an SSH (Secure Shell) connection.
Note: Key authentication is required (ask us how).
- WP WSoD
See: WordPress White Screen of Death, Lack of Maintenance Related Testing.