Hosting and plans
My host says I have used too many inodes. What does that mean?
An inode is a file or folder. Hosts limit the total number you can have, and caches, old backups, mail messages and thumbnails created by WordPress can add up to hundreds of thousands. Delete caches and old backups first, move archives off the account, and look at the mail folders.
Why does my host keep suspending my account for resource usage?
Your site is using more CPU, memory or processes than your plan allows. Causes are usually bots, heavy plugins, uncached dynamic pages, or runaway scripts. Check the usage graphs, then the access logs for spikes, enable caching and block abusive traffic. If you have optimised and still hit the ceiling, move up a plan.
Do I need to back up if my host does it?
Yes, at least once in a while. Host backups are helpful, but they often live in the same data centre and are not under your control. Keep your own copy somewhere else, and check that you can restore it.
Is it okay to host multiple sites on one account?
Often yes, on plans that allow it. Be aware that they share the same resource limits, and that a compromise of one site can sometimes spread to the others on the same account. For important or client sites, separate accounts are safer.
How much hosting do I really need for a new blog?
Less than the sales pages suggest. A small shared or entry-level managed plan comfortably handles thousands of visits a month. Pick on support, backups and speed rather than headline storage, and move up only when a graph in your panel shows you hitting a limit.
What happens if I exceed my plan's limits?
It depends on the host and the limit. Hitting CPU or process caps usually produces slowdowns or 503 errors for a while. Disk quota stops uploads and can break mail. Bandwidth overages may be billed or may lead to throttling. Read the policy before you need it.
Can I upgrade or downgrade a plan without downtime?
Usually upgrades on the same platform are quick and invisible. Moving to a different type, say from shared to a VPS, often means a migration. Ask support how it works and whether the IP address will change.
How do I know if my host is down or just my site?
Check the host's status page, then test another site on the same server if you can. Try the address from a different network and from an external checker. If the server answers but your site does not, look at the error log.
What is a good response time from support?
For a ticket, a reply within a few hours at any time of day is good, and within a day is tolerable for non-urgent issues. For an outage, you want chat or phone. Test it before you commit by asking a real question.
Is it worth paying for a server in the same country as my visitors?
Distance adds delay, typically tens of milliseconds within a continent and a couple of hundred across oceans. A CDN removes most of the difference for static files. Location also matters for privacy rules in some sectors, so check yours.