This post will not make most of people in the ISP business happy, but let’s face it: for a tourism business (whose target customer is abroad), hosting his website in Madagascar is not the best choice for providing the best web experience to its users. Let’s make it clear: I am talking about hosting the website abroad, this does not necessarily mean that you can’ t have a .MG domain name while still hosting your website on a datacenter abroad.
Let’s consider the facts:
What is the offer in Madagascar?
- most of the providers will charge you by the space you use for your website with limited technology choice. Some will eventually let you host a whole server. But whatever the choice you go for, you’re left on your own when it comes to maintenance (updates, monitoring, backup) … and you have to be technically knowledgeable about all those techies-thing in order to be able to provide good service to the visitors of your website… which is more than a full-time job of one person
- the scheme local ISP opted for focus on a higher bandwidth for download (getting files from the internet) rather than upload. This model is now obsolete with the rise of peer-to-peer (and related) technologies as each ISP customer that uses peer-to-peer software is a small “server” for uploading/downloading files
- web hosting is not the main/core competency of an ISP
So where to host your website if not in Madagascar?
A lot os specalized data centers exist nowadays. Their main advantages is that web hosting is their core business. Though, they provide better services (24/7 hotline, redundant network infrastructure, daily backups, …), and most of them has scripts that automatically installs different tools/CMS (content management system). Besides that, having only one contact for domain name, e-mail features and web hosting is ver convenient. Finally, their pricing is outrageously cheap (beginning from 2€/month, serious hosting cost around 7$/month )
So now, for our tourism business, this time, at least, you can benefit from superior services without necessarily paying more than the local offer.
Don’ t take what I’m writing for granted, here are more reading for you:
- example of webhosting providers: siteground (with automatic installation of standard tools like joomla, wordpress, or e-commerce suites ),
- other criterias for chosing a web hosting provider
So now, it’ s up to you to decide the kind of online presence you want to go for.
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My online presence
August 8, 2008 at 12:44 am
Website Source Hosting customers are discouraged from storing any files that cause excessive traffic on Website Source Hosting servers. Web Hosting Providers
August 8, 2008 at 2:23 am
another day another link
http://www.momentum-mag.org/2008/07/mauritius-and-the-ict-pillar
so depressing
…
August 8, 2008 at 9:43 am
yep .. Mauritius is way ahead Madagascar with regard to ICT. However, Madagascar is making progress with regard to its infrastructure
- Telma project: optical fiber from Durban to Tulear is still confirmed (don’t know where it stands). Inland optical fiber deployment is also on the way
- Orange “Lion” project is also on the way
As for BPO, we see more and more call centers coming on the playground (mainly for french speaking countries). Data entry is also part of the offshore ICT activities held in Madagascar while we can see more and more ICT companies targeting export market work from Madagascar (with Malagasy technicians)
On the liberalization, Telma’s monopolistic situation just ended on June 30rd 2008 so let’s see what’s going to happen. We’re right in the middle of this change now …
So, yes, we’re late but we’re catching up … Competition within the region is on the way .. The bad thing (for Madagascar) is that Mauritius partners with experienced Indian companies to make their ICT village program happen, while in Madagascar it looks like we’re too focused on infrastructure and don’t really make such progress for other things (added-value services, training and HR, … )
August 8, 2008 at 10:21 am
progress is such a difficult word in Malagasy . I knowo so well about the Indian connection with Mauritius but I also experienced their hard work and consistency what Malagasy seriously lack even with great minds formed abroad . This talk wil only put me in great frustration and maybe I won’t speak to my Mauritian pals for a while just bc I’m a foolishly jealous of them.
baby jogany
August 8, 2008 at 10:22 am
the baby is for baby jogany
pease don’t misinterteprate my words…
crazy jogany