A web hosting service is internet hosting services that allows a person or an organisation to host their website and make it accessible to the world via world wide web. Generally, web host are the companies are the companies that provide storage space on their server, which is then connected to the internet.
As being an all-round web developer and web designer, I had chance to work with website with various requirements. Choosing a good web site hosting company and proper server is quiet critical for any website.
Typically, most of the hosting companies provide 3 different type of hosting services. They are:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS or Virtual Private Server Hosting
- Dedicated Servers
Shared hosting is the most common form of hosting. It’s the least expensive hosting and suits new website and with low traffic.
As the name goes, shared hosting hosts multiple websites and all the websites hosted on the host shares resources such as disk space, bandwidth etc.
Compare shared hosting to living as in apartments where you share pool, gym or barbeque area with all other living in the same apartments.
The positives of shared hosting are cost [being relatively cheap], good for new website and website with low traffic.
Negatives being reduced security, restriction to resources such as CPU Usage, traffic volumes. If a website hosted on the shared servers is marked for spam, other website might be listed as spam too.
VPS Hosting Servers
VPS [Virtual Private Server] Hosting, is one way similar to shared hosting. In VPS Hosting too, resources are shared with other website. The main differences being in VPS Hosting the number of website sharing the resources are less per server. And also the overall resources including hosting space, bandwidth, CPU Usage etc are distributed equally among all the websites.
VPS Hosting can also be categorised into categories as Managed VPS Hosting and Barebones VPS Hosting.
Managed VPS Hosting as name goes is managed and run by the Hosting Service Provider. You don’t need to worry about things like updating softwares or programs, looking after security issues etc. It’s looked after by the service provider. This is best recommended for someone with minimum technical knowledge.
On other hand Barebone VPS, isn’t managed by the hosting service provider. Instead its run and maintained by yourself. Most of the task such as installing softwares and programs are to be updated and installed by yourself.
Barebone VPS are recommended for ninjas or seasoned pro, who can look after their hosting on their own.
Dedicated Servers
Dedicated Servers as name goes is dedicated to single website only. You can custom create your server with your requirements and all the resources will be yours to run your website.
Having a dedicated server is like owning a house. It’s all yours and you can do anything you like with it.
Dedicated Servers does provide extra flexibility in adding resources in case you need an upgrade. For example, you if want to add more storage disks or increase your bandwidth. No problems with Dedicated Serves.
But of course, it’s going to cost you more money. If you want quality over not looking at the bills, dedicated servers definitely serve the purpose.