When you open an account with a web host, you are allocated a certain amount of disk space. This is where your HTML files, scripts, multimedia content and graphics are contained. In most cases, the more the cost of the hosting package, the more bandwidth and disk space you get.
1 MB of disk space would be enough for a simple text-based website which is made up of a few pages. However, when you add more content such as pictures, video, downloadable file and music, you will need to increase your disk space. Disk space is also taken up by email. If you have been allocated a small amount of disk space, you might realize that your space is being used up by unsolicited spam. Is it therefore important to check your inbox occasionally and delete all unnecessary emails.
So, what happens when you exceed your disk space allotment? Most web host providers have a policy concerning this. In most cases, you will have to pay to get some extra space. As a penalty for exceeding space, the payment for additional space is usually much higher than the normal rate charged for disk space. This is why it is important to constantly monitor your usage of space. If you find yourself approaching the limit, you could either delete some files or purchase more space.
How can you determine your usage of space? Most web hosts provide a control panel where different aspects of your account can be adjusted. The control panel will help you keep track of your disk space usage and will show you if you are getting close to your limit. However, if this feature is not available in your hosting account, you can figure out the amount of space you are using by creating a folder on your computer and then downloading your whole site to it. The size of the folder will show you how much space the site is taking.
If you begin posting video or music files on your site, you will definitely need more bandwidth and disk space. For instance, an MP3 file which is 3 minute long takes about 2.5MB of space. A poor quality short video can take about 1MB. For those intending to host multimedia content, it would be advisable to evaluate the size of the files that need to be uploaded, and then get a hosting account which offers twice as much space. This will make provision for future growth. However, before posting video or audio files on your site, check with your web host first. Some hosts have limitations on such content since it uses up too much bandwidth.
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