Bookmark These Websites to Become a Web Hosting Expert

Two years ago, I knew nothing about web hosting. To understand the basics, I subscribed to numerous blogs and forums. While researching web hosting, I quickly realized this is a constantly evolving subject. The following sites helped me immensely with staying up to date in this business.

Are forums dead? Not so fast, my friend. While forums aren’t what they used to be a decade ago, they are still a wealth of knowledge, whether you are investigating a specific problem, or would just like to talk with like-minded individuals. Here’s 3 forums worth checking frequently:

• Web Hosting Talk: Since 2000, Web Hosting Talk has been the place to be for consumers and businesses to stay informed of the progression and advancement of the web hosting industry. The strict rules on content creators at WHT prevent lack of spam like many other niche forums. The Today’s Posts and Featured sections are a great way to stay informed on breaking news.
• Hosting Discussion: The second most active forum after Web Hosting Talk, Hosting Discussion is a community featuring 20,000 members helping each other with everything from hardware configuration to website design.
• Web Hosting Chat: Web Hosting Chat is a UK-centric forum featuring both hosting forums and private forums for hosting industry workers to discuss deals and issues.

While we’re on the subject of forums, let’s discuss subreddits from Reddit.com. Subreddits are similar to forums, with the added bonus of upvoting comments and threads you like, and downvoting ones you don’t. The following are worthy of subscribing to so that you will see popular posts from these subreddits in your Reddit feed.

• r/WebHosting
• r/WebDesign
• r/WebDev
• r/Wordpress
• r/Design
• r/Javascript
• r/PHP
• r/Drupal
• r/SysAdmin

• The WHIR: The Web Host Industry Review is comprised of theWHIR.com, WHIR Magazine, WHIR TV and WHIR Events. The WHIR is the largest web hosting news organization, reliably pumping out daily posts to keep you in the know.
• Ping! Zine: Web tech magazine Ping! Zine has been an entertaining read for service providers and end users for over 13 years. Enjoy topical articles both digitally or in print. Here’s a link to their latest issue, featuring a well researched SSL cover story.
• Data Center Knowledge: Experienced reporters cover the data center industry over at Data Center Knowledge. If you are an IT or operations professional, this site is a must. Topics range from advancements in server architecture to developments in data center space and everything in between.
• HostDime Blog: Let me get my plugs real quick. The HostDime Blog strives to bring readers not just information on HostDime related activities, but knowledge useful to your hosting business and website. This blog will be receiving a much needed makeover next week, so be sure to bookmark us and come back soon.
• HostDime Resources: With over 200 posts, HostDime Resources is a fast growing avenue for answers to technical problems for both HostDime and non-HostDime clients.

So that’s a little peak into my web hosting RSS feed. Add any websites I missed in the comments below.

[divider]

Jared Smith is HostDime’s Content Strategist.