Sunday, January 30, 2011

ASP .NET Web Hosting

ASP.NET is a web application development technology created by Microsoft.  Unlike PHP, Python and Perl, it is not a language, but a framework that provides developers with a great deal of flexibility.
Based on ASP (Active Server Pages) and Microsoft’s .NET Framework, it is currently used by millions of developers, webmasters and corporations around the world.  ASP.NET has a wide range of purposes and can be efficiently used to create everything from a small website to dynamic, robust web applications.  Due to its popularity, ASP.NET has become one of the most highly sought after offerings on the web hosting market.
Being that ASP.NET is so unique, one must focus on a special set of requirements to obtain a complete solution and make the most of it.
.NET Framework 3.5
The .NET Framework 2.0 is out and version 3.5 is in.  The latest version offers many new features and improvements over its predecessors, making it quite valuable to savvy developers.  .NET Framework 3.5 offers the powerful combination of ASP.NET AJAX , which offers the ability to create highly personalized, interactive web applications that deliver an optimal experience in virtually all the major browsers.
.NET Framework 3.5 also fully supports Visual Studio 2008, Microsoft’s awarding developer product, which has many new great features in its own right.  If you want to maximize the potential of an ASP.NET hosting solution, the latest version of the .NET Framework must be provided.
Windows Server 2008
ASP.NET has been out for some time, however, you will get the best performance when pairing the latest version of this framework with the latest version of the Windows operating system, which is Windows Server 2008.  Although Windows Server 2003 is still on the market, 2008 is far more secure and reliable. This will guarantee a better overall performance for your web applications and hosting environment.

Technical Experience

You want to do business with a knowledgeable company regardless of the type of service, yet this is especially true with ASP.NET hosting.  As we mentioned, this technology is very unique, and even differs significantly from ASP.  There are critical changes in the core API, changes in Visual Basics, structural changes, security related changes and much more.
Running a server equipped with ASP.NET and its associated technologies requires the dedicated maintenance of certified .NET experts.  For this reason, you need to ensure that you find a company which specializes in ASP.NET hosting, rather than one that simply offers it as a niche service on the side.
Conclusion
ASP.NET and Windows hosting in general is one of the most powerful solutions you will find on the market.  The platform is largely supported by software vendors and compatible with the most essential web technologies.  Because it is so different and has so many specific requirements, ASP.NET hosting tends to best suited for developers and users with special needs.  Therefore, finding the right solution is all about determining your needs and finding a reliable service provider that can fulfill them.