Which Type of Web Hosting do You Need?
If there is one thing that the Internet gives to us, its options. At times, there are too many options and it can be difficult to choose the one that is best for you. This is often the case whenever it comes to hosting your website as there are several different types of servers for you to choose from. Here is a basic overview of the different type of servers that you would be interested in. Understanding the differences can help you to make an informed decision when it comes time to purchase.
Shared Hosting
This is the most common type of server that is available and it is the one that most people who are just starting out on the Internet tend to choose. Shared hosting is, quite simply, a single server which holds many different accounts. You will have your own small area of the server in which to put your websites and other data.
As far as shared hosting is concerned, you’re going to have a lot of different options. Almost all shared hosting companies give you some basic options, such as a certain amount of bandwidth (data transfer), a limited storage space and a guarantee of uptime. This is where many of the similarities end.
The best thing that you can possibly do for yourself is to look through some of the various shared hosting accounts that are available. Take note of some of the options, some of which you will use and others that you probably will never use. Provided the hosting company gives you all of the options that you need, there’s really nothing else that you can ask for.
Reseller Accounts
This is somewhat similar to a shared hosting account but it gives you the ability to resell hosting to other individuals. There may also be thousands of different reseller accounts that are contained on a single server. It is really up to the hosting company to decide how many they will put on a single server and they rarely ever give you this information.
Reseller hosting typically comes with its own IP address which distinguishes you from all the other websites on the Internet. Many people upgrade to a reseller accounts, simply because they enjoy being on their own IP address and the flexibility that the account offers.
Virtual Private Servers
Virtual Private servers, or VPS, is a step up from shared hosting but you will still be sharing the server with other individuals. The real difference is that instead of sharing the server with potentially thousands of different websites, you will probably only be sharing it with anywhere from four to six.
A virtual private server is a dedicated server that is split into several large chunks. You will own one of these chunks and it will operate similarly to a dedicated server.
The benefits of running a VPS is that it is typically faster than a shared server while being much less expensive than a dedicated server. You will notice faster response time and your webpages will load faster. This is the next logical step after you have outgrown your shared hosting accounts.
Dedicated Hosting
A dedicated server is, quite simply, an entire computer that is hooked into the Internet which you own. You will not share any resources from this computer with anybody else, all of them will belong to you.
Dedicated hosting is an excellent way for you to make sure that your webpages are always loading quickly. It can be expensive to run a dedicated box, however, so it is something that most people grow into after they are successful online.
You can either choose to have your dedicated server fully managed, partially managed or self managed. Depending on your technical know-how and ability to work on the server, you can choose from among these three.
There are several other types of hosting that are available but to be perfectly honest, if you are reading this primer on hosting, you are not ready for them yet. As your websites continue to grow, you may eventually find a need for these robust accounts.
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