Choosing a web host for joomla can be a scary prospect with so many 
hosting companies on the net you could go crazy trying 
to find a reliable web hosting company which offers the right services 
for you and your joomla! web site.

Most UNIX, Linux web hosting companies offer the following 
Functionality for hosting joomla but you may need to confirm the 
following noted below before purchasing a web hosting package.

Apache -> http://www.apache.org

MySQL -> http://www.mysql.com

PHP (version 4.1.2 or higher) -> http://www.php.net

 

You MUST ensure that PHP has been compiled with support for 
MySQL and Zlib in order to successfully run Joomla

2) Compare hosting plans for Joomla

When you have identified between 3/4 hosting providers i would 
advise comparing the hosting plan's they offer to ensure you 
get the best deal as the hosting market if very competitive and 
you can find some great packages on the net.

Most hosting providers, or shall I say offer a Money back guarantee so you can test the 
hosting service out before making a commitment. I would 
strongly advise you choose a web hosting company who offer the 
above safe guard.

4) Web hosting history and background

New hosting companies start up every month, year offering great 
services to attract new customers at low prices. If you are 
serious about investing in a commercial joomla web site, do some 
research first about the hosting company you are spending your 
money on. Look at the company history, how long has it being 
around for and so on. New hosting companies can be great but 
they can also go bust overnight leaving you and your customers 
in the dark.

 

It's always worth visiting some forum's and checking out the 
web hosting reviews for each host. This will give you a feel 
for the service they offer plus some real feedback from the 
customers. A good site is the mambohostingreview.com

6) Customer support

I believe this is the key to a good web hosting company. If you 
sign up to a web host and they never respond to your e-mail’s or 
take 10/15 minutes to answer the support hot line then you have 
got problems. During the Money Back Guarantee why not try out 
the customer service, give them a call, send them an email and 
see what the response time's and technical support is like. Also see if they
offer a ticket support system and 0800 toll free telephone support

7) Storage space

web host's can offer between 50 - 2000 MB of web space which you 
can store your data, files on. If you are hosting joomla between 
200, 500 MB will more than sufficient. You can always upgrade if 
you plan you upload large files for download or storage. But if 
you plan to upgrade in the future make sure you check what the 
cost is for purchasing extra space. Don’t fall for the sales 
pitch " we offer unlimited space " with each hosting package. 
In the end of the day you get what you pay for.

8) Bandwidth/Data Transfer

Bandwidth/Data Transfer refers to how much data is sent to or 
received from your hosting account on the server over a period 
of time this is usually normally measured monthly. Many hosting 
providers now offer between 20 - 40 GIG of data transfer each 
month. When you choose a web host give this item some thought, 
if you are running an MP3/movie download site which becomes 
very popular then think about a package which offers a higher 
data transfer. But to be honest 20/40 GIG will be sufficient per 
month you can always upgrade and remember. Do fall for the 
marketing pitch " we offer unlimited bandwidth "

9) Web site speed

Web site speed both upload and download speeds are important 
factors when choosing a joomla web host. If your site becomes popular 
and with lots of people visiting the last thing you want is 
for them to leave your site because its to slow. Again use the 
Money back guarantee to test out the web hosting service.
You can also use a number of free tools on the net to check the 
speed of the web hosting company.

10) Shared servers

If you are not planning to spend £100 UK pounds or above per 
year you will be hosted on  a shared server. This mean's your web site will be hosted on 
the same server as maybe 20 / 30 other web sites. This is 
common practice for most web hosting companies. One question 
you could ask is how many clients share the same server. This 
will give you a good feel for the service they offer. The less 
clients per server the better performance you will get.

Ensure your web host offers an SLA ( service level agreement ) 
or a contract between you and them. If any thing goes wrong you 
can refer to the SLA

12) Server Uptime

If possible try and choose a host which offer's 99% uptime. No 
host can offer 100%.

In the end of the day hosting companies are not running a 
charity, they need to turn over a profit to stay alive. If a 
company is offering unlimited space, bandwidth and lots more for 
5 dollars a month then my advice is don’t touch them. You get 
what you pay for so shop around the hosting world is very 
competitive and you can pickup some good deals. Spend some time 
comparing the hosting companies and the services they offer.
Expect to pay between 7 to 10 dollars per month for a web 
hosting solution.

15) Data centre
 

See how many fiber optic connections they have - make sure thay have some redundency backup in place
Redundant UPS systems, Generator Backup
Security CCTV monitoring the whole facility and Card Key Access doors
24/7 guards operating
Redundant air conditioning systems