Describe the workload
Document traffic shape, dynamic requests, storage, regions, deployment frequency, background work, and compliance needs. A static publication, commerce application, and internal dashboard have different failure modes. Generic ‘fast hosting’ claims are not a substitute for workload fit.
Compare operational work
Ask who handles patches, backups, certificates, scaling, logs, and incident response. Managed platforms reduce some work but impose platform limits. A VPS offers control but creates ownership. Price the human work alongside the invoice.
Test recovery
Review backup frequency, restore procedure, deployment rollback, regional failure behavior, and support access. Run a restore or rollback during evaluation where possible. Recovery claims matter only when the team can execute them.
- Workload documented
- Limits compared
- Backup restore tested
- Exit path understood
Model a realistic bill
Include bandwidth, builds, databases, logs, image processing, support, taxes, and overage. Model normal, growth, and incident months. Choose based on the total range and operational risk, not only the introductory price.
Primary references
Sources are provided for policy and technical context. External pages can change after our review date.
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