Web Hosting Box

Depending on your need, there are many different types of web hosting plans available for various business and personal requirements, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The least expensive option is always the most popular; however, shared hosting may not be suitable for all businesses especially high traffic websites. Therefore, most large websites employ a dedicated server.

Between shared and dedicated hosting is virtual private server (VPS) which is significantly less expensive than a dedicated server and provides many more options for growing online businesses than shared hosting. Within a VPS, each web hosting account is assigned their own operating system so users can individually configure one account without disrupting the others. Over time, a VPS can significantly reduce costs of ownership.

There are five primary advantages to using a VPS account over a shared host including:

• Unlimited websites
• Customizability
• Security
• Performance
• Scalability

The first benefit is the ability to manage an unlimited number of websites. Common hardware sharing issues are eliminated since each is utilizing its own software. Access to different severs is assured through serve-side software such as Apache Virtual Hosts and other similar programs.

The second advantage is the high customizability of VPS as they are feature rich. They have the same functionality as a dedicated server including, custom firewall configurations, the opening and closing of ports, root access, customizable services and the freedom to reboot at any time.

The third pro of VPS accounts is the provided security. Shared hosting is difficult to completely secure. If one account is hacked, all accounts on that server are open to damage. Since VPS accounts are isolated from one another, if an individual hacks into one account, this will not affect the others.

The forth benefit is overall performance. Shared servers depend on the performance of other accounts. If one owner sends out mass-mails, this could overload the server negatively affecting all other accounts. On the other hand, since VPS accounts are independent they only use the resources from their account. A bad VPS neighbor only affects their own account.

The final advantage is scalability. Virtual private servers were created to support high-traffic websites, extensive database applications and resource hungry sites. At any time, users can upgrade or downgrade their service with minimal downtime. Overall, VPS accounts are becoming so popular due to the amount of money saved over time as opposed to the other options available on the market.

A few years back, dedicated hosting companies provided the dedicated connection, the rack space and location to host but did not manage the equipment. Clients were forced to maintain and operate the servers themselves. This became a difficult task as well as a major expense for the clients. As more clients flocked to dedicated servers, the demand for hosting that was monitored by trained professionals increased and thus managed hosting was born.

Dedicated Hosting

Managed hosting is dedicated hosting. Most dedicated hosting companies also give you the option of server management. Therefore, for those with a high volume of traffic, that utilizes a great deal of storage space and require custom applications, dedicated managed hosting may be your best bet. Typically intricate e-commerce sites with many products are hosted on a dedicated server that is monitored.

The Role of Managed Hosting Providers

Managed hosting providers complete all tasks for their clients. These usually include upgrading the software, backing up data on a regular basis, installing firewalls, implementing security measures and monitoring the equipment 24/7.

Reasons Companies Choose Managed Hosting

Managed hosting can be a huge benefit for companies. They have the luxury of their website being hosted and maintained by the same provider. In the long-run this saves businesses money due to the lack of cost for hiring Information Technology professionals. This can cost a great deal of money and time.

Customization

Managed hosting does not mean the same thing for every web hosting company. Some offer more features and services than others. This is why it is beneficial to comparison shop different companies to ensure you are receiving the lowest price with the most benefits. Also, know the services that are available and that you have selected prior to signing a contract.

A nice feature of managed hosting is the customization aspect. As previously stated some hosting companies provide basic services others do not. If you want a service, the company will generally charge extra for it but you can customize to your business needs.

For those companies that need this service, managed hosting may be the optimal option compared to other web hosting providers. However, it is important to not purchase these services if they are not needed. Typically managed hosting is for medium to large companies with many employees. The cost of managed hosting has significantly dropped over the years and hopefully will continue to do so.

If you are looking to create your own website it is important to be aware of all the features your web hosting provider offers. This way you can utilize all tools available which will make for a much easier development process. Although a hosting service allows you to store, run and maintain your website, there are many other features provided depending on the host. One of these tools is a website builder.

The Site Builder

A site builder is a piece of software that contains a bundle of tools to help you develop your site. Most web hosting providers have this resource built right into the control panel. Since it is often proprietary software specific to your provider, implementation of the finished site is extremely simple. There are so many features in modern site builders that you can customize every detail down to the color of the toolbar.

Finding a Cheap Web Hosting Provider

Finding a cheap web host with a quality site builder should be your primary goal when starting your first website. You want to be able to use the unique name of your website and find one with unlimited traffic options. Of course in the beginning, it is more difficult to have the best of everything. You are likely going to need to upgrade different aspects of your plan as time progresses.

Due to the saturation of web hosting companies in the marketplace, you do not need to search far to find a cheap host. Also, good quality among inexpensive hosting providers is commonplace. The only issues you may encounter are the connection speed since you will be on a shared server and potential for a security breach. However, these are minor compared to the cost per month of the service.

Utilize a Dedicated Server

An alternative is to acquire a dedicated server where you are the only website hosted on that piece of equipment. These are also accompanied by a dedicated connection which maximizes speed and minimizes security issues. As a beginner website, this type of service is not necessary, a cheap web hosting company with a quality site builder should be your main focus.

There are many excellent cheap hosting providers that have quality site builders available. When starting a new website, look for these two features to get you used to the software and web hosting environment then upgrade when the site becomes a major success!

For many small business owners, there comes a time when a low-cost shared hosting account can no longer sustain their online presence. Such was the case with Chris Azzari and his site, popthatzit.com. The site hit it big time last fall, when it was featured on the Tyra Banks Show. “When we first started out, we used the shared hosting account that was offered with the social networking script that runs the site. At that point I really had no clue about servers, apache, php, mysql, backups and all the fun things that come along with running a website. This is where support came in… well actually this is where support really did not come in to play because there was a lack of support for my crappy little $9.99 a month hosting plan,” says owner/operator Chris.

The site’s content went viral and Chris learned how traffic can crash a server. “It was at that point that I knew I needed something more substantial behind my website,” says Chris. “PopThatZit.com was going to be featured on the Tyra Banks show and I knew that would bring in the traffic, big time. I needed a dedicated server and after sifting through available providers, decided to move my sites over to DedicatedNOW, a managed dedicated server provider.”

Azzari continues, “the biggest thing about having your own dedicated server is that you can do a lot of tweaks that you could never do on a shared hosting plan. I run WordPress on the site and decided to run w3 supercache after high recommendations from some friends. Getting it to work right was beyond my scope of expertise. I needed to install memcached and I wasn’t about to mess that up. A simple email to the server support team and they had me up and running. The site was lighting fast and ready for traffic.”

“Just knowing that the site that you have spent countless hours creating and promoting is in good hands is worth its wait in gold. Remember, your website is your business, so you need to protect that business, and it starts with where it is hosted.”

About PopThatZit.com
PopThatZit.com is the original website by zit poppers, for zit poppers. The site’s outrageous material gained a cult following on day 1. With nearly 2000 videos of every kind of pimple, boil and pustule imaginable, Chris Azzari’s creation was featured on the Tyra Banks show in 2009.
For more information, visit PopThatZit.com

About DedicatedNOW.com
DedicatedNOW, founded in 1997, provides managed and unmanaged dedicated servers to customers in nearly 100 countries. Customers rely on DedicatedNOW for reliable, secure and value-rich services such as dedicated servers, managed hosting, complex hosting, CDN, reseller and colocation. DedicatedNOW’s servers are located in a state-of-the-art data center in Clifton, New Jersey. The Clifton, NJ facility houses nearly 5,000 servers in a secured environment, right next door to the Company’s corporate headquarters and network operations center. For more information about DedicatedNOW, visit DedicatedNOW.com

Dedicated hosting plans are often seen as the most powerful types of hosting available, and most webmasters aim to purchase a dedicated hosting plan in the near future. Dedicated severs provide a level of reliability and consistency that are not seen in other hosting plans, which makes them ideal for growing small businesses and corporations alike.  If you’re curious about the benefits of using a dedicated server to host your web sites then you may want to consider the following information.

Reputation of Reliability

Dedicated servers have a reputation of being highly reliable, primarily because you do not have to share your web server with other webmasters. Of course, the size and capabilities of a dedicated hosting plan will directly determine how much data and bandwidth your sites can process at one point in time. Dedicated servers are put on high priority with hosting companies, as most of the highest paying customers utilize this type of web server. Web hosting is primarily a profit-driven industry, which means as long as dedicated hosting plans are the most expensive, they will continue to be the most reliable.

Freedom and Flexibility

A lot of people do not realize just how many restrictions a shared or VPS hosting plan has until they purchase a dedicated hosting plan and begin experimenting with their software configuration. With a dedicated hosting plan you are basically leasing your own private web server, which means you have the freedom and flexibility to change the configuration of the server as you see fit. This means you can install custom web application and use any control panel you’d like. You can also run automated software that will enhance your search engine optimization efforts as well. Using custom software and performing all of these tasks would be impossible with most other web hosting plans.

Support and Stability

Dedicated servers come with dedicated support because hosting companies understand the need for proper server administration and maintenance in the world of eCommerce. Hosting providers know that most of their dedicated hosting plan holders conduct regular eCommerce, and that their business relies upon the stability of their web server. Thus, most reputable web hosting companies offer the greatest level of priority for dedicated hosting support.

Dedicated servers have a track record of being the most stable type of web server, primarily because it is only being utilized by a single webmaster. When web servers are shared, all of the webmasters utilizing the server may have to suffer for the actions of a single webmaster. For example, a web site may be attacked by a hacker that unleashes a DDoS attack on the web server, rendering every site on the IP block useless for minutes to hours at a time. Server downtime is extremely rare in dedicated hosting plans.

Overall, the reputation, reliability, freedom, flexibility, freedom, support and stability of dedicated hosting make it a better option than any other hosting plan for the serious online business owner.