Finding a web hosting company will not be a problem, but finding the type of accommodation can be more of a challenge. In this, we will look at the four major categories of accommodation are available. Once you understand this type of web hosting, you will be in a better position to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Free and Paid Shared Hosting
This is the type of accommodation you’re more likely to find. Shared hosting means that your website is to share space on a server with many other users online. It is also known as virtual hosting, as more than one domain can share the same IP address. Think of it as an apartment block, where each individual tenant has their own corner of the main street address. If you are considering this type of accommodation , remember that many web sites on a single machine can mean slower response times , and sometimes server failure, if your neighbors online are running heavy programs. Free services are almost always false economy of any serious online business, as they make their money intrusive pop – ups and advertising, over which you have no control.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is the next step, as out of a block of flats at home. This is a server part, a client system, so you do not have to share server space with other users. You also have complete control over the server that is being leased, so you can install your own software and enjoy greater control over the services running. It is, of course, much more expensive than shared hosting.
Co-Location Hosting
This is similar to dedicated hosting, but it is more like renting a home ownership altogether. Under this type of system hosting, you only pay for the space you’re actually using, instead of the entire server. This removes a lot of responsibility for managing the hardware, and so much of the concern. Therefore, it is a cheaper version of dedicated hosting.
Virtual Dedicated Server and Virtual Private Server hosting
This is actually two different ways of saying the same thing – a split into several partitions, with each partition being dedicated to a single client server. For all purposes, each client has its own dedicated server, hence the “virtual” server expression. This is like leasing your own luxury apartment. You can do what you want within the confines of your own virtual server, adding in software and services, and even restart as a separate physical server if necessary. Ultimately, the type of accommodation you need depends on the type of online business or website you want to run, and the size of its budget. If you do not need much space, and if the control is not a problem, then shared hosting will be fine. If you are a larger business then the virtual co – location or dedication should be considered. Finally, if money is not complete and control is important for the success of your business, you should consider the complete dedicated server option.
