ExpressionEngine & Craft CMS Hosting & Server Management

Hosting an ExpressionEngine or Craft CMS website on generic shared hosting, or with an agency that has moved on, is a risk many business owners only discover when something goes wrong. The right hosting environment makes a real difference to performance, security and reliability, particularly for complex sites with high traffic or ecommerce functionality.

Karl Bowers has been managing hosting environments for ExpressionEngine and Craft CMS sites since 2007, providing business owners with a single point of contact for both the application and the server it runs on.

What this service includes:

• Managed hosting on environments configured specifically for ExpressionEngine or Craft CMS, not generic one-size-fits-all shared hosting.
• Security updates and patching to keep the server and application stack current and protected.
• Performance monitoring and optimisation, including caching configuration, database tuning and image delivery.
• Regular backups with a clear recovery process, so the site can be restored quickly if something goes wrong.
• SSL certificate management and domain configuration.
• Migration support for sites currently hosted elsewhere that need moving to a better environment.

Common questions:

Can you host a site that was previously managed by an agency?

Yes. Karl regularly migrates sites away from agency hosting arrangements, particularly where the agency relationship has ended and the business needs a new home for the site. Migrations are carried out carefully to minimise any downtime.

Do you provide hosting independently of other work?

Hosting is generally provided as part of an ongoing support arrangement rather than as a standalone service. If you are looking for hosting alongside ongoing maintenance and support, fill in the form below to discuss your requirements.

What server infrastructure do you use?

Karl uses dedicated and virtual private server environments rather than shared hosting. Servers are configured specifically for ExpressionEngine or Craft CMS with appropriate PHP versions, caching layers and database settings, rather than the generic configurations used by shared hosting providers.

How are backups handled?

Backups are taken automatically on a regular schedule covering both the site files and the database. They are stored separately from the live server so they remain available in the event of a server-level issue. Karl can discuss backup frequency and retention based on the needs of the site.

What happens if the server goes down?

Server uptime is monitored and Karl is alerted automatically to any downtime. In the event of a server issue he will investigate and work to restore the site as quickly as possible. For business-critical sites he can discuss service level requirements as part of the hosting arrangement.

Can you migrate a site from shared hosting or cPanel to a better environment?

Yes. Migrations from shared hosting, cPanel, Plesk and other environments are carried out regularly. Karl handles the full migration process including moving files, migrating the database, updating configuration, and confirming everything is working before any DNS changes are made.

Do you manage the domain and DNS as well?

Karl can assist with domain management and DNS configuration as needed, including pointing a domain to a new server, setting up email records and managing any other DNS requirements. He will discuss the best approach based on where the domain is currently registered.

How is hosting priced?

Hosting is priced on a monthly basis and depends on the server resources required for the site. Karl will discuss a suitable configuration based on the site's traffic, storage and performance requirements and agree a monthly cost before anything is set up.