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Web Hosting & Infrastructure: Frequently Asked Questions
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Summary: Quick answers to the questions we hear most from Canadian website owners. Each answer links to a deeper guide. Note: we are an independent guide, not a hosting company, so we cannot access or support any hosting account.
Do I need a Canadian server if my customers are in Canada?
Not legally in most private-sector cases, but a Toronto or Montreal server gives Canadian visitors lower latency and simplifies privacy disclosures. See our Canadian hosting and PIPEDA guides.
What does a 99.9% uptime guarantee really mean?
It allows roughly 43 minutes of downtime in a 30-day month. Guarantees usually pay service credits rather than compensation, and often exclude scheduled maintenance. Read the SLA's exclusions.
Why did cPanel hosting get more expensive?
cPanel moved to account-based licensing, so hosts pay more as servers hold more accounts. Some hosts passed that on; others moved to DirectAdmin or CyberPanel. Compare them in our control panel guide.
How should I back up my website?
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one off-site. Do not rely only on backups stored on the same server, and test a restore at least quarterly.
Who owns my domain name?
The registrant listed with the registry. Make sure that is you or your business, not a web designer or host, and that the contact email is one you control.
Is 'unlimited' hosting really unlimited?
No. Unlimited plans have fair-use limits, often on CPU, memory, entry processes or inodes. Estimate your real needs with our bandwidth and storage calculator.
When should I move from shared hosting to a VPS?
When you hit resource limits, need software the host will not install, or need root access. Our shared vs VPS vs dedicated guide explains the trade-offs.
Can you help with my hosting account or billing?
No. Maple Web Host Guide is an independent publication and does not provide hosting, domains or customer accounts. Please contact your hosting provider directly.
Still curious? Browse the glossary, the Canadian hosting guide or shared vs VPS vs dedicated.
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