Hosting is a term used to describe the various methods of delivering content over the Internet. This content can be anything from a simple web page to a full-blown eCommerce store. When most people think of hosting, they think of the physical hardware that powers your website – it’s all done by someone else (and as such can also come under the umbrella term of “hosting”).
More often than not this means everything will be virtualized, meaning that it’s all happening on one server (or several servers that are virtualized to appear as one). This includes your web pages, eCommerce store files, and any databases you use. Your website content is stored on these physical machines so when visitors request to see your site they’re taken to the relevant server where the content will be loaded for them.
Learn, What is Website Hosting? and the Qualities a Website Hosting Provider must-have.
In this article, I’m going to compare cloud hosting, shared hosting, and VPS hosting.
What is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting is very much in vogue, and many providers offer a range of cloud services. But what exactly is “cloud” hosting? And should you be using it for your website or webserver?
Let’s start by taking a look at the definition of cloud computing. If we take Wikipedia as our source (which has the added benefit of the fact that it’s been reviewed by real people and not just one person), then we can get an accurate definition: Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet).
Another definition that might be more helpful is the one put forth by Amazon Web Services: Moving significant parts of your IT infrastructure to AWS will allow you to operate more flexibly, with improved security and reliability, and with greater potential for business growth.
Cloud hosting then is where you are not responsible for the hardware that powers your website – it’s all done by someone else (and as such can also come under the umbrella term of “hosting”).
More often than not this means that everything will be virtualized, meaning that you’ll have access to a number of different servers (virtual machines), or even just one multi-purpose machine.
You don’t need to know exactly how it works (unless you want to) but what you do need to know is that your website is hosted on a powerful machine and you’re able to scale up or down as you see fit.
Benefits of Using Cloud Hosting:
Scalable: The first benefit is that it’s scalable. If you suddenly get a lot of traffic (or your current host can’t cope with the load) then you can quickly and easily increase the resources that are allocated to your website. You’re not limited by physical hardware and this also includes being able to increase or decrease the number of servers you’re using – perfect for those times when your site experiences peaks and troughs in visitor numbers.
More Secure: Another benefit is that cloud hosting is often more secure than traditional hosting, mainly because it uses multiple layers of security (including firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and anti-virus software). This also means that you’re less likely to experience downtime caused by security breaches.
Reliable: In addition, cloud hosting is more reliable than traditional hosting as it’s not reliant on a single piece of hardware. If one server fails then your website will still be up and running as it will have been replicated across multiple machines.
Improved Performance: In addition to having faster loading times, cloud-based servers are also up to 5x faster than traditional servers.
Lower Costs: By sharing resources across multiple users, cloud hosting providers are able to offer scalable plans at a fraction of what you’d expect to pay for VPS hosting.
Reduced Server Administration: With cloud hosting services, the provider is responsible for maintaining server uptime and performance – which means businesses can avoid the costs and hassle of hiring IT staff or performing routine maintenance themselves.
Disaster Recovery: Cloud-hosted servers also tend to be more reliable in terms of data availability because they’re backed up on a regular basis by the service provider – meaning there’s virtually no chance of data loss even if your own network connection fails.
Downsides of Using Cloud Hosting:
Less Customizable: One downside of cloud hosting is that it’s less customizable than traditional hosting. This is because you’re limited to the options offered by the service provider, and most providers don’t offer the same level of control as you would have with a dedicated server.
Potential for Lock-In: There’s also a risk of getting locked-in to a particular provider if your business grows and you need more flexibility or features that they don’t currently offer.
Lack of Control: As mentioned, with cloud hosting you’re relinquishing some control over your website (and its underlying architecture) to the service provider – which may not be ideal if you’re looking for a high degree of customization.
Generally speaking, there are very few downsides to using cloud hosting and the benefits far outweigh any potential disadvantages. If your website is experiencing growing pains or you’re just not happy with your current host, then it’s definitely worth considering a move to the cloud.
So that’s a brief overview of cloud hosting – it’s quick and easy to set up, scalable so you can increase resources as needed, more secure than other types of hosting, and if configured correctly very reliable.
What is VPS Hosting?
VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is a type of web hosting in which each client’s account is isolated from other accounts on the same server. This allows clients to have more control over their server environment and also results in faster loading times for websites.
Now that we know what VPS hosting is, let’s take a look at the benefits and downsides of using this type of hosting.
Benefits of VPS Hosting:
Increased Control: As each account is isolated from others, clients have more control over their server environment. This can be very beneficial for those who need to install specific software or make other customizations.
Faster Loading Times: Since websites are hosted on their own isolated server instances, they tend to load faster than if they were hosted on a traditional shared hosting plan.
Scalability: VPS hosting is a great solution for businesses that are experiencing rapid growth or expecting an increase in traffic in the near future. The scalability of VPS hosting allows businesses to easily upgrade their hosting plan as their needs change.
Customizable Plans: VPS hosting providers offer a variety of customizable plans to meet the needs of virtually any business. For example, some hosting providers allow you to choose certain software or server configurations so that your site can accommodate your specific data storage requirements or customer preferences.
Downsides of VPS Hosting:
Cost: In most cases, VPS hosting costs more than shared hosting plans. This is because you are essentially splitting the resources of a single server between multiple clients rather than utilizing a dedicated server for each client account.
Limited Resources: If your site experiences a surge in traffic, your VPS hosting account may not be able to handle the load. This can result in slower loading times or even downtime for your site.
Technical Knowledge: In order to take full advantage of all the benefits that VPS hosting has to offer, you will need some technical knowledge. If you’re not comfortable managing your own server environment, you may want to consider hiring a web developer or managed hosting provider to help you out.
VPS hosting is a great solution for businesses that are looking for more control over their website environment and faster loading times. With a variety of customizable plans available, VPS hosting providers can accommodate the needs of practically any business.
However, it is important to note that VPS hosting does come with a higher price tag than traditional shared hosting plans. Additionally, in order to take full advantage of all that VPS hosting has to offer, you will need some technical knowledge. If you’re not comfortable managing your own server environment, you may want to consider hiring a web developer or managed hosting provider to help you out.
What is Shared Hosting?
Shared Hosting is when your website shares the hosting space with other websites. This type of hosting frees up your budget for hardware and software investments because it reduces the total number of servers required. It also creates a large pool of bandwidth which you can share to boost up your digital presence on the internet.
Benefits of Shared Hosting:
Shared Hosting is the most popular type of hosting and for a good reason; it offers an excellent balance of features, performance, and price. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, below are some other reasons why you might want to consider using shared hosting:
1) Shared hosting is perfect for small businesses or bloggers just starting out. It’s affordable, easy to set up, and requires little maintenance.
2) Shared hosting plans offer a wide variety of features, including unlimited storage space, bandwidth, and email accounts. This makes them a great option for businesses that need more than just a basic website but doesn’t want to break the bank.
3) Shared hosting plans are typically very reliable and come with around-the-clock customer support. This makes them a great choice for businesses that don’t have the time or resources to manage their own website.
4) Shared hosting is a good way to get started with eCommerce. Most shared hosts offer basic shopping cart software and other tools that make it easy to start selling products online.
5) Shared hosting plans come with a variety of templates and themes that you can use to create a professional-looking website. This makes it easy for businesses of all sizes to get online quickly and without spending a lot of money.
Downsides of Shared Hosting:
1) If one website gets viral, that means other websites on the same server will suffer from its over usage of server space and bandwidth. This concept is called ‘Shared Hosting Environment’.
2) The hosting plan offered by shared web hosts can vary greatly; while you might get what you pay for in terms of features, you also might end up with a really cheap plan loaded with restrictions (i.e., limited disk space & bandwidth). Take the time to review the fine print before signing up for any shared host.
3) Shared hosts often offer little or no support when it comes to the installation and configuration of certain applications, particularly content management systems like WordPress. The upside here is that forces you to learn more about how your website works, but the downside is that you might need to hire a developer if you encounter any problems.
Overall, shared hosting is a great option for businesses of all sizes. It’s affordable, reliable, and comes with a wide variety of features. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential downsides before signing up. If you’re not sure whether shared hosting is right for you, speak to an expert at a web hosting company for more advice.
What is dedicated hosting?
Dedicated hosting is a type of web hosting where you lease your own server. With dedicated hosting, you have complete control over your server and its resources. This makes dedicated hosting a good choice for businesses that need more control and flexibility than shared hosting can provide.
What are the benefits of dedicated hosting?
The benefits of dedicated hosting vary, but usually include:
Customization and control: Typically, dedicated hosting offers more customization than shared hosting. You can install any software or script that you wish. However, some configuration is required to ensure that your server meets all technical specifications for the software you want to run.
Uptime/reliability: Dedicated hosting is usually more reliable than shared hosting since you’re the only one using the server.
Security: With dedicated hosting, you’re in charge of security. This means that you can install whatever security measures you deem necessary.
Scalability: Dedicated hosting is highly scalable. If your website experiences a surge in traffic, you can quickly add more resources to your server.
What are the drawbacks of dedicated hosting?
The main drawback of dedicated hosting is cost. Dedicated servers are usually more expensive than shared or VPS hosting. Additionally, you need to have some technical expertise to be able to set up and manage your own server.
Which Option is Right For Me?
The answer to this question largely depends on your needs and budget. If you are looking for a more robust and customizable web hosting solution, then cloud hosting would be the better option for you. However, if you are looking for a more affordable hosting solution that still provides good performance and reliability, then VPS hosting would be a better choice.
Shared Hosting is an affordable, easy-to-use option for businesses of all sizes. It offers a wide variety of features, including unlimited storage space, bandwidth, and email accounts. It’s also very reliable and comes with around-the-clock customer support. If you’re looking for a simple, affordable way to get your business online, shared hosting is a good option to consider.
In conclusion, cloud hosting and shared hosting, and VPS hosting have their own benefits and drawbacks. It is important to consider your needs and budget before making a decision about which type of hosting to choose.