Web hosting is an essential element of today’s data driven age, however it is easy to become overwhelmed by the entire concept, not only with regards to the processes one must undertake to host their online resources but the wide variety of options on offer.
Often, before making any drastic decisions, it is important that one first understand web hosting at its core, this not only referring to the different types of hosting but the features they boast. The key is to select the best web hosting service for your unique needs, this requiring that you scrutinize and compare the available options in search of the most effective web hosting solution availing those most crucial features at the most competitive prices.
Free Hosting
As per its name, free hosting is just that: free. The internet is inundated with firms providing hosting services to desperate individuals free of charge, hosting services that are typically appropriate for the average personal website or blog but which are highly lacking when it comes to dealing with websites that boast voluminous levels of traffic. Certainly there is something commendable about hosting one’s website without having to invest one’s own hard earned cash; however you should consider the following disadvantages of free hosting before making any decisions:
– Free hosting services do not provide domain names
– As payment for free hosting services, you will have to put up with irritating ads on your site courtesy of the firm providing the hosting services.
– You can expect to encounter restrictions with regards to moving or expanding your files; there are also limitations on the software additions.
– Not only is security lacking, but free hosting services do not typically include a database (which is essential for the operation of many software tools especially in the blogging arena).
– Do not expect to encounter any technical support.
Shared Hosting
Few hosting solutions are as popular as shared hosting, as per its name, this is a hosting solution within which different clients share the hosting resources of a single server. It is an appropriate hosting solution within the business and personal arena. And while they typically utilize Linux, most firms providing shared hosting have been known to make windows available at an additional monthly charge.
– Not only is shared hosting cheap (as a result of the sharing of resources among many clients) but many web hosts have been known to provide discounts to clients that make annual payments.
– Shared hosting packages include free domain names and emails as well as a litany of add-on programs that will prove essential in the optimization of one’s site.
– Clients can expect adequate technical support.
– Because of the sharing of resources, the chances of outgrowing this hosting environment, especially as one’s traffic grows, are high. It will eventually prove necessary to either migrate to a new package or hosting firm.
– In the case of a spike in traffic, there is a risk of one’s site either slowing to a crawl or the server going down as a result of an augmented struggle for dwindling resources among the clients sharing a server.
– Shared hosting packages are often restricted in terms of the programming languages and file types that are supported.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is the most attractive hosting option for large firms dealing with massive volumes of data, this is because dedicated hosting allows a client complete autonomy over the operations of a given server and its resources. There is no restrictions on the type of programs you can install or number of domains you can make use of.
– Clients have complete control over a server, and as such they can utilize its resources as they wish.
– Expect to part with a considerable amount of money in order to take advantage of dedicated hosting.
Virtual Private Server
Virtual Private Server(VPS) is essentially a hybrid, straddling both shared and dedicated hosting solutions; with VPS, one will have to share a server with other clients, however they will have complete control over the resources assigned to them, capable of making the sorts of configurations only available with dedicated hosting-though one’s control isn’t as extensive.
– Clients have the power to customize the resources assigned to them to an impressive extent.
– The hosting solution is highly affordable.
– Because VPS merges shared hosting with dedicated solutions, you need not worry about your server going down or slowing to a crawl.
– Clients can expect to receive reserve amounts of processing power and RAM.
– Clients have complete control over the security of their website, including the ability to utilize a customized firewall and dedicated mail server.
Reseller Hosting
With this hosting solution, an individual or company will utilize the resources of a parent hosting company to offer their own hosting services. Imagine signing up to a company’s hosting services. And instead of utilizes the resources offered to you to host your site, you sell those resources to someone else. The majority of low level web hosts typically utilize reseller hosting to provide their services.
– There is very little maintenance required.
– Reseller hosting will add value to an existing business.
– There are limitations, both in the technical arena and regarding the services offered. As a reseller there is very little you can do for your clients if a problem emerges with the servers of the parent hosting firm.
Cloud Hosting
With this option, clients receive hosting services not through a singular physical server or even a virtual server but a whole host of connected servers. Cloud hosting is often praised for its reliability and increased accessibility, though it has also attracted plenty of complaints about the lack of comprehensive control over data and various other security issues.
– Cloud hosting is seamlessly scalable.
– Not only does cloud hosting level the playing field but collaboration is simplified.
– There are issues of privacy and availability.
WordPress Hosting
This is a service provided to individuals that have blogs and websites on wordpress.org. Managed WordPress hosts promise reliable hosting services only to websites and blogs powered by WordPress. They utilize a team technicians and advanced servers purposed towards meeting the hosting needs of the WordPress community.
– Information security and privacy is assured.
– Your blogs and websites will load faster.
– You do not need to inject so much time into mastering WordPress.
– You can expect to receive WordPress’ latest updates.
– You do not have as much control as you might want.
– You will require considerable knowledge about WordPress
– In the case of a spike in traffic, you might have to pay extra for hosting services.
It is essential that you scrutinize hosting companies carefully, especially the services they provide, before making any major decisions that might affect your site’s operations. Sometimes all the options on offer tend to look the same but, often, differences in performance will emerge.
