Hardware infrastructure for a public web application
I would like to start a free budget / personal finance site and need a lot of horsepower and storage. I'm definitely a nubi, so how do I start in terms of hardware infrastructure? Do I need to get a dedicated IP address from my ISP and get my own servers? Am I going with Amazon or Sql Server Data Services / Azure or something? Are the latest services free, or are there discounted rates for non-commercial / free services like budget / personal finance site I want to start on?
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If you don't mind writing your web app in python, I suggest using Google App Engine . See: What is Google App Engine?
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What I like to do when I have new ideas for a site is find an inexpensive hosting solution ($ 10 per month). This allows me to test the idea and see if the site is successful. If it's a flop I haven't spent a lot of money, and if it is successful, I might be able to upgrade to a better hosting (dedicated server).
There are many hosting options and some of them have great tools like the online SQL Server management studio. Another option is to host it yourself if you're ready to tackle firewall issues, backups, storage, etc.
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Is it possible DIY varies greatly by country ... if you have a decent fixed IP broadband connection, this might be the cheapest route to play first, especially if you need a lot of storage.
Note, however, that many fast broadband connections are download-only - when the server starts up, the speed your users will see is the download speed, which is generally much slower. Also, you will need to do your own admin and backups, etc.
Apart from that, most hosting options have a price tag on top, ranging from virtual hosts (sharing a real machine), to colocation (your machine is in some kind of data center), for cloud services like amazon, etc. (which have good scalability) - and you'll need to shop for a stack of software and hardware features that you really need.
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There are actually two ways to answer this question, what sets them apart from the budget.
One of them is to properly design this solution, prototype it, compare the prototype, extrapolate the expected user load, and add overhead and scale accordingly. It takes time, costs, but gives you a convenient solution that serves your customers well.
Another is to just give something, something to go and solve the problems when they come. It's faster and cheaper, but can be a headache for a while and can be caused by your customers.
It mostly comes down to budget.
Good luck.
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