What is Website Hosting?
Website hosting and the need for it is often misunderstood. Website hosting is the service that facilitates the publishing of your website and domain name. In order for your website to be available whenever your customers choose to view it, the site must be stored (hosted) on a computer with a permanent "always on" connection to the Internet.

Our Hosting Facility
Following our commitment to provide a no compromises service, Gumboot doesn't physically host your website at our premises. Gumboot's expertise is in the development of Internet based solutions and not data communications. Our decision to move into providing website hosting services came through frustration when our work was compromised by substandard service from our clients' hosting service providers. We searched locally and overseas for a hosting provider we could enter into a wholesaling agreement with; a service provider who embraced the same levels of professional service we strive for. That provider was Wellington based iServe.

The data centre which Gumboot leases space in is a modern, secure facility. It features three levels of security required to access the premises, full un-interruptible power system with backup generator and seismic bracing. On site is backup hardware with support staff on site 24 hours. The iServe network is monitored and load balanced with two upstream providers for redundancy.

In summary (ignoring all the technical jargon), what this means to Gumboot customers is peace of mind that their websites are being hosted in a reliable and professional manner.

Standard Website Hosting Package
The Standard Hosting package includes the following features:

• Up to 4Mb of disk space (call if more space is required)
• Website traffic statistical reporting
• Daily System Backups
• Unlimited Email Addresses
• Unlimited Email Forwarding
• Email mailing lists (for newsletters, announcements etc.)

Managed Website Hosting Package
Gumboot's Managed Hosting evolved through the observation that many of our customers sites became dated after their initial development. A successful website should be a 'living document', constantly changing in order to reflect the changing nature of a business/organisation. The Managed Hosting package represents a very economic method of keeping your site fresh and current, and thus making it more valuable to visitors.

A Managed Hosting agreement combines Standard Website hosting with one hour of Gumboot consulting per 30 days (non-accumulating) to be used for website maintenance- changes/additions. Common maintenance activities include adding/removing news items, changes to products/services, staff profile changes etc.

The large majority of Gumboot's customers choose Managed Hosting over Standard Hosting even if they don't anticipate making changes every 30 day period due to the savings Managed Hosting offers over Gumboot's casual consulting rates.