Multiple Domain Hosting

Multiple Domain Hosting

One of the main concerns of webmasters these days is cost control, particularly when running multiple sites at a time. So what’s their recourse? Multiple domain hosting! What it actually means is hosting multiple websites (having their own domain names) in one account. (And it can be done on shared hosting platforms too.)

Multi domain hosting may be done through a number of ways.

• The simplest method is by redirecting to a subdirectoryof the account. For example you (as the client) have two domains: domain.com and domain2.com.
  

   

  • Your web host will create a subdirectory of its domain (ex. www.name.com) and name it (ex. subname).
  • A new domain (www.subname.com) will then be set up to point to that subdirectory and this new domain given for you to use.
  • When people type in your address (www.subname.com) in their browsers, they are then redirected to www.name.com/subname where they’ll see content uploaded to the subdirectory named ‘subname.’ (although they won’t be aware of it.)

   

  Drawback: There is no separate email account, ftp account, etc. for subname.com.

  Recommended if :

  • you have few networked websites with the same administration requirements (less work to maintain than if you had separate control panels, emails etc. for each domain)
  • if your websites consist of multiple domains (ex. one domain for articles, one for forums, one for products etc.)

   

• Or you can go with true multi domain hosting.
  Here, you get separate control panels for each of your domain, with each one having its own login, email, tools etc and you’ll allocate disk space and data transfer quotas for each domain.

   

  Downside: administration and maintenance is more labor intensive since each domain has its own control panel as well as separate email and ftp accounts

  Advantages: more flexibility in setting up different domains since each has its own settings; separate email accounts

   

• Web hosts can also set up multi domain housing reseller accounts.
  Although originally intended for starting one’s web hosting business, it would also be ideal for multi domain hosting with a reseller control panel.

   

  Advantages: you can create customized packages for multiple websites; all domains get their own control panel (although they can also be under one control panel); cheap way of starting a web hosting company

  Reseller hosting may be used in two ways:

  • To host multiple domains under one account, and
  • To sell web hosting services.

   

  If you’re leaning towards the second option, all you have to do is purchase a reseller hosting account, set up some form of payment scheme and then sell web hosting packages. As long as you provide the necessary services, your customers need never know who actually runs the servers. Your web host can just stay in the background and provide support when needed.

  There are two types of reseller hosting accounts to choose from.

  • Traditional reseller hosting accounts are those you can purchase separately at a discount and resell. There’s no need to buy anything before selling.
  • Bulk hosting is the most widely used reseller account type for multiple domain hosting. Here, you purchase a big web hosting account and then divide disk space and data transfer into as many smaller accounts, having different specifications, as allowable within a preset account limit.