A great number of the hosting providers listed here at HostIndex.com offer several types of server environments, such as UNIX and NT. This area is focused on the NT platform and how it is used for hosting everyday business websites. For new users, we've tried to write this section in a very business orientated approach however, if you find technologies that you are not familiar with, feel free to contact any of the hosting companies at HostIndex.com – they'll be more than happy to help.

First off, the NT platform is Mircosoft's web server environment and thus most of it's common uses for the average consumer relate to the ability to easily interlace existing commercial software into your website. The current version is NT4.0 and IIS4.0 [Internet Information Server] although Windows 2000 [a.k.a. NT5.0] is expected out sometime in 1999. For those using Microsoft products to develop their website, NT offers some substantial and often critical components.

The most common use by average hosting consumers of NT is in hosting FrontPage created websites. Microsoft's FrontPage website software constructs websites in a user-friendly environment making it easy for business to professionally develop their websites in a quick manner. However, in the process of simplifying the creation process, there are a number of files which are created to support the FrontPage documents. In order for FrontPage websites to run properly on commercial servers, file extensions must be loaded by the web hosting provider. These FrontPage extensions are critical to using FrontPage websites on a remote server. However, there is a difference between UNIX FrontPage hosting and NT FrontPage hosting. Under some UNIX configurations, several important FrontPage components do not function correctly as the server extensions do not completely integrate into the web server system. The most common complaints UNIX users experience in hosting FrontPage websites is with creating forms or using the Publish feature within the FrontPage program. Web hosting on the NT platform resolves this problem by supporting all FrontPage components with fully integrated file extensions. For businesses relying on collecting information or desiring simple website updates – the NT platform offers a solid advantage.

The second major use of the NT server platform is in the area of online databases. Many companies, both large and small, use Microsoft database programs, notably Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL in their daily business environments. When it comes to wanting to make these databases accessible via. the web, the simplest way is to simply convert a static database to a web based one and post it on an NT server. Many developers in your local yellow pages can assist you with this process. From there on, accessing and updates can be done in real-time using what are known as Active Server Pages [ASP] - a type of dynamic HTML which offers a powerful scripting environment.

There are a number of issues to watch out for when choosing an NT host. First, NT hosting can be a difficult environment for hosting companies to handle. This means that companies offering NT hosting should have a competent staff of Microsoft certified technicians. Don't be afraid to ask companies about their NT support staff – if they have qualified staff they will be more than happy to talk about them. Second, NT hosting tends to be a little more expensive and is geared more towards Microsoft product users, such as MS Access or FrontPage applications. If you do not use any such tools, the UNIX platform is an excellent and stable hosting environment. Most NT hosting packages start at between $24.95 - $29.95 per month. Third, ask your host about the scalability of their hosting environment. Find out what kind of e-commerce solutions their NT platform offers – you may wish to eventually sell your company's products via. the web. Also, can you migrate towards higher end plans as your company grows [eg. SQL support or more bandwidth]. While transferring to another host is easy, finding a good NT host and having a growth plan is much preferred.

For those people who wish greater simplicity in integrating Microsoft products onto the web, you may well wish to investigate hosts that offer NT services, either by searching our database for NT companies or visit one of the sponsors of this section.

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