Web Hosting Box

Web hosting is simply a service that allows you to lease a web server, which can be used to provide server resources to all of your websites. Since each webmaster has a different set of needs and requirements, there are a plethora of hosting types and plans available on the market today. For the inexperienced or aspiring webmaster it can be extremely difficult to choose a hosting type without knowing the main attributes of each hosting environment. Although there are many sites online that review plans individually, very few actually explain the different types of hosting and how they relate to webmaster capabilities/requirements. It doesn’t make much sense to begin comparing plans and prices without first knowing the type of hosting that will be most suitable for your online endeavors. The following is an overview of the three main hosting types, which can be categorized into three levels of experience.

Novice (Shared) Hosting

Shared hosting is by far the most popular hosting type, and most people that have a shared hosting plan don’t even realize it. The shared hosting environment bears its name because you’ll be given access to a web server that is shared by dozens or even hundreds of webmasters simultaneously. Shared web servers utilize unique load-balancing technology to ensure that a single webmaster cannot overload the server with the tasks of their websites. While this prevents significant performance problems, it also limits your capabilities as a webmaster and makes it impossible to accommodate thousands of site visitors across a large network of sites. Thus, shared hosting is usually recommended for novice webmasters that only have a couple of websites.

Intermediate (VPS) Hosting

Although most webmasters start out with a shared hosting plan, it is extremely common for successful site owners to upgrade to a VPS (virtual private server) hosting plan after reaching the limits of their shared plan. VPS hosting is by far the most diverse hosting type, with plans ranging in cost from $20 per month to $200 per month depending on the capabilities and allocated server resources. Virtual private server hosting is similar to shared hosting in that you will be sharing a web server with other webmasters, however the way the server is shared is very different. Rather than sharing the entirety of the server you are given a specific partition that is solely devoted to the tasks of your websites. This enhances performance and eliminates the possibility of another website affecting the performance of your sites. VPS hosting is an economical option for webmasters that need a powerful solution but cannot yet afford a comprehensive dedicated hosting plan.

Advanced (Dedicated) Hosting

Dedicated hosting bears its name because it gives you dedicated access to a web server that is solely used to power your websites. By having access to an entire web server the amount of tasks that your websites can perform are seemingly limitless, as a vast amount of bandwidth and disk space can be accessed at any time. In fact, many large corporations and Internet entrepreneurs utilize dedicated hosting plans to host hundreds of websites simultaneously without error. Since the cost of dedicated hosting can range anywhere from $100 to more than $400 it is usually a service marketed towards advanced webmasters that have an established online business presence.

Choosing the correct type of hosting environment can be difficult, especially if you have a diverse range of needs. However, regardless of your online business needs, you may want to consider a dedicated hosting plan. A dedicated hosting plan provides each user a dedicated server, in which the resources of this server are allocated only to that customer. This type of server environment often results in higher performance levels and reliability, which is why dedicated hosting packages are very popular amongst larger and more serious businesses. The hardware setup is completely customizable  with dedicated servers, so the business owner has more options regarding the configuration of the server.

Service

Since your server will be devoted specifically to you, you’ll experience enhanced customer service. Each client receives their own service account with the web hosting company, and the account manager works with the client to make sure all of their web hosting needs are being met by their dedicated server. The enhanced customer service makes dedicated hosting an appealing choice for large and small business owners alike.

Multiple Domain Hosting

Another advantage of dedicated hosting is that you can easily place multiple domains on the same server, since the bandwidth and disk space allocated to you is virtually unlimited. Hosting multiple domains is a great way to diversify and expand the reach of your online business endeavors. With a dedicated server you’ll be able to use the server resources of a single server to accommodate the needs of several websites, rather than purchasing a separate hosting plan for each site. Another benefit of having all of your business websites on the same server is that you (or your employees) will not have to learn new server administration tactics with each website. Meaning, all of your websites will be simple to manage, in that they all will have the same server configuration.

Reselling Benefits

By owning a dedicated server, you’ll also have the right to distribute that servers resources as you see fit. This means you’ll be able to resell the server resources allocated to you, thereby enabling you to make a monthly profit. Many business owners use this tactic to pay for their monthly hosting needs. This option is especially useful for individuals that do not need all of their server space, and would like to make some extra money. The beauty of reselling server needs is that you can customize the plans and sub-leases to your needs. Therefore you can create custom plans that are competitive in the web hosting market, as there are virtually no limitations on what you’re entitled to do with your dedicated server.

Security

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of dedicated hosting is the dedicated IP address that is given to each website. On a shared hosting plan, you’ll be sharing your site’s IP address with tens, maybe even hundreds of sites, which means that the actions of the websites that you share your IP with can affect the status of your website. If one of the websites that you share your IP with is found guilty of questionable activity, every site on the IP could be brought down in an instant. This is obviously not an option for a serious online business owner.