The Complete Guide To Run A SOHO Webserver

So you know some basic html and maybe some server side scripting and you want to run your own "closet server" out of your small office or home office. Well your in luck because it is cheaper then you may think.

Check the following to see if a SOHO server fits you:

1. Do you have less then 100-200 people a day visiting your site?
2. Do you write most of your own scripts?
3. Do you have a computer that is 1Ghz with 256 MB of RAM running windows 2000/2003/XP?
4. Do you have DSL, Cable, or some other high speed "always on" reliable connection?
5. Do you have a few hours to set up your server (one time)?

If you answered yes to all these questions then you are probably a good fit for a SOHO web server. Before you go nuts and jump into things, consider why running your own web server may not be a good idea:

• You are more likely to experience downtime when ever you have an outage or lose a connection.
• Unless you pay a little more a month, you will not have a static IP (Discussed later).
• If someone breaks into your computer you may not realize it for a few days.
• You will need to do all the updates yourself on a consistence basis.
• You will not have access to large shopping cart packages because of their cost unless you buy them individually.

So your still convinced this is the way to go? Good. From my experiences, most small businesses that have from 0 to 5 employees are perfect candidates for this type of setup if they have 1 or more technical savvy person on staff (which may be you). In the long run you can save lots of money and have greater control over your web site then buying the equivalent package from a major ISP. By taking on additional risks you reduce your overhead.

The game Plan:

1. Register a Domain Name (highly recommended). I prefer using Network Solutions for my domain name registration because any time I have needed to make changes, they are painless unlike almost all other registrars, especially the cheap ones. Remember you get what you pay for, and cheaper is not necessarily better. You also get a discount from almost every registrar if you register for multiple years (3 or more years) at a time. Choose a name that is a .com (commercial), .edu (educational), .net (technical & personal), .org (non-profit), or .tv (media) domain name that fits your business. .com is the best since that is what people are use to. Also if other people have a similairly named site realize that they may associate that site with you accidentally.
2. DNS set up. DNS (domain name server) is the software that changes the name into the virtual numeric address that computers can understand. If you are extremely savvy on computers you know this (so why are you here again?). If you wish to setup your own the configuration is poorly documented by technical people in difficult to understand terms for the average Joe. I recommend skipping installing your own DNS software (although if you want to I recommend using BIND) this and instead using the DNS setup at Network Solutions (a small annual fee may apply). Last I checked it was under advanced DNS address properties. DNS takes 2-3 days at minimum to propagate through the world (millions of servers after all), so complete this as early as possible. At minimum You need:
   • 1 A Records, but I recommend more (such as one for www.domain.com and domain.com)
   • 2 NS (name server) Records
   • 1 MX (Mail Exchanger) Records
   • 1 TXT SPF Records (highly recommended; not required)
3. Web Server set up. I recommend Apache - its free, highly reliable and robust, and extremely reliable and secure. You can go to my tools section to download the latest version of a pre-configured windows distribution for use within the united states. Hands down the web community has a strong preference towards this software as the de facto in web servers, however there are other web servers available such as Microsoft's IIS, and Macromedia Cold Fusion. They are however expensive, less secure, and contain less functionality, although configuration of the servers is done though a pretty looking graphical tool. They are geared towards supporting their vendors product offerings as well and tend to be slower performers.
4. Web Site Setup. You can't do much to cheat on this, but you do have some options. At the very least you should make an under construction page, that is unless you have an existing web site. Also if you are designing a new site you should realize that the content is your responsibility, you know your business, so except for making spelling and grammar fixes by a pro, you should have all your content typed out in plain text documents until you can find or learn to build your new site. Remember the only lasting impression that will distinguish your site from others is the content. If you already have a site or domain name you don't need to re-register a new domain name, and the developer can probably help you move your site for a modest fee depending on how extensive your site is.
   • Hire or re-hire a web designer
   • Buy a template online and learn HTML/flash/php/perl etc. to do the rest.
   • Try and build a site using graphical visual tools (expensive, not recommended).
5. FTP Server Setup. I recommend Filezilla FTP server and client software. FTP (file transfer protocol) is just an easy way to copy files for your web site from your local computer to a remote computer easily though a Microsoft Explorer sort of view. If you can copy files from one folder to another when open side by side, you can do this easily. This step is recommended, but not required.
6. Mail Server Setup. Not required to have a web site, but very useful for businesses. Email is an extremely usefully communication tool that moves close to the speed of light around our planet. I recommend ArgoSoft Mail Server for novices since it is easy to set up, although you will probably want a better one as your business grows in needs. ArgoSofts Email server is one tenth what larger email servers have with all the basic functionality you need (including web based email).

See my links for help in all aspects of building, installing, and finding this software.