How secure is their network operations center (NOC) and Web servers?
Security is of paramount importance, especially for e-commerce sites. The Web hosting firm should spell out what measures they take to ensure the physical security of their servers and limit who has physical access to them. In addition they need to be able to provide proof of the measures they take to ensure their servers are patched for security vulnerabilities and secured to resist hackers. • Are they prepared for natural disasters? On the Internet, falling victim to a natural disaster means lost opportunities. Web hosting provider should have redundant systems in place to deal with power outages including battery and generator backup sufficient to handle them for days or weeks. What types of fire suppression systems are in place? Is their NOC susceptible to floods or earthquakes? Is the NOC located in a politically stable corner of the world? • Do they specialize in the server environment you need? Some Web hosting firms specialize in one server environment (e.g. Unix & Apache or Mi
