host posted on 十月 08, 2006 15:27
1: Use cache for as many modules as possible. Don't put in modules just because you can. Put in modules that actually gives you something back. IE, avoid Rss feed if you don't need it. Why? Because it will take longer to load your page. Same goes for other modules as well.
2: Use keepalive or some services (watchdog free at master.com ) that calls up your website every 10 minutes or so, to prevent to application to close. (Dnn being a .net application it will need to restart the application if the app stays inactive for more then about 15 minutes)
3: Optimize your pictures, graphics and logos. Reduce files size.
4: Look through your design. Do you use tables and nested tables? This will make your site load slower. Switch to Css, and use as few tables for layout purpose as possible. Remember tables are good for showing tabular data, bad for layout. One extra bonus using Css rather then tables and nested tables are that the Css file get loaded only once on the first page, then stay in users cache. When a page is designed using tables and nested tables all those tables need to render on every page load as well as the page content. So much slower loading.
5: A rule of thumb is to try to make a skin size between 5 and 10 k. This will reduce your load time, as well as give you more for your money (bandwith).
Only after carefully taking messures to reduce the loading time one can be certain that slow loading is due to the Host. And if you do what you can do, then uses some of the tools to meassure load time etc then you have a better case when talking with your Host. If you find that the problems are related to the server or hosting enviremont rather then sitedesign, use the reports from the tools you have used to back up your statement to the Host. In my experiance if you make a good case to the Host, they will do improvment to your hosting in one way or another.
If you are on a shared server things can get ugly every once in a while. Consider using dedicated servers, or semi dedicated servers. Much faster, cost a little more.