Reading over web hosting services’ ads, you might think that a web server was more like a seesaw: It’s either “up” or it’s “down.” Unlike a seesaw, however, you’ll get more out of the “up” than the “down”.
“Uptime” is the web hosting industry’s term for the reliability of the Internet connection you’ll get from a service provider and downtime is it’s exact opposite. This reliability factor is expressed as a percentage rate, and it’s determined by a combination of factors. These factors include server equipment age and quality, consistent server power sources, frequent software maintenance including security checks and shared hosting capacity (unless the business opts for a dedicated server). Since your website’s span of visibility over the internet is very much determined by the up time of the server on which it (web site) is hosted, hence the server uptime is critically important for your web presence. A low up time would simply mean that your website will not be displayed over the internet on certain times. Hence it is critical to choose a web host with 99% or above up time assurance. A good way to monitor server uptime is through using Pingdom.com platform (just go for a free trial account there!).
Some web hosting companies go so far as to claim 100 percent uptime, but be skeptical of this claim. Even with multiple redundancies such as extra servers, electrical generators, frequent system check-ups and low client-to-server ratios, everybody’s computers goes down sometime. The problem may be something that the web hosting service has no control over, such as downed telephone lines that cut off Internet access.
Here’s the best-case scenario for up time: A web hosting service that can prove a 99.99 percent reliability rating is an excellent choice for a business that operates an e-commerce website. That’s because a 99.99 percent rating shows that the servers are on nearly all the time, meaning the equipment is in good condition, up to date, well maintained by system administrators, operated on an uninterrupted power source and carry no more than 200 to 250 customers per server. Understanding the factors that go into that 99.99 up time rating can reassure business owners that their web host will keep the company’s web site running reliably.