Email Hosting

Published December 29, 2011

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Overview

When you register for a domain name, you may have the option to create e-mail accounts. You may choose to create one, or you may choose to create a thousand. No matter the case, you will want an aesthetically pleasing interface for users who require e-mail access. In order to offer e-mail service, you must register your domain name for e-mail hosting. E-mail hosting provides features including calendars, notes, contacts, and tasks. You will also receive a web space allotment where you can store e-mails. You will want to choose a service that maintains security and confidentiality.

E-mail hosting services are typically used by small and medium sized companies. Typically, larger companies have the resources to house and maintain their own e-mail servers. Regardless, a variety of services exist to meet the needs of almost any consumers. Even larger businesses can take advantage of e-mail hosting services. For example, Google provides hosting options and an interface for personal and professional e-mail accounts. Small, medium, and large businesses can all find e-mail hosting options with Google. E-mail hosting is usually available at an average cost of $199 per month. Schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations may qualify for free e-mail hosting.

Benefits

E-mail hosting provides various benefits. First, you do not need to invest in any hardware. You can free up space at the office, and your network administrators can focus on other technology related projects. Your e-mail hosting company can customize services to your needs and can manage your communication tools. You can feel confident that your network is secure since e-mail hosting services have extensive safeguards against viruses and spam. Your service will undergo routine security upgrades, and you will have the added benefits of shared contacts and shared calendars. You can also request options for webmail access, and you can designate times for regular and routine backups. If you would like, you can have your e-mail hosting service troubleshoot your problems and make technical decisions for you. By outsourcing your e-mail hosing, you will save time, energy, and money.

How It Works

When you register for a domain name, you can select the number of e-mail addresses that you would like to provide. You can then assign names to all of your users, so they will have the e-mail address name@yourdomain.com. Even though you have e-mail addresses, you will not be able to send and receive e-mails immediately. You will need to designate e-mail storage space and provide a means for users to access their e-mail accounts. E-mail hosting services will provide storage space and an interface to your e-mail accounts. You may choose to have a webmail interface, or you may choose to access your e-mail through a program like Microsoft Outlook. With Microsoft Outlook, you can download your e-mail locally, and you can save a backup to your web host's e-mail server. You can choose to hire an e-mail hosting service, or you can provide your own e-mail hosting on your own servers.