Types of Web Hosting
What is Web Hosting?
So if you don’t already know what web hosting is, you are probably wondering – What is it?
To explain it in simple terms – it’s a service that allows you to put your website on the internet.
Now to explain it in more detail – The web hosting company maintains a network of servers (or computers) which have a nice fast internet connection. These servers have software running on them, which allow them to divide up the servers hard drive space (along with other resources) and offer them to its customers. As a customer, you are buying an allotted amount of resources. And there are different levels of hosting, which will be discussed below.
Types of Web Hosting
Okay so now we can discuss the types of hosting.
- Shared Hosting – This is probably the most common form of hosting found. This is basically as mentioned above. You are sharing the server with many other users. And for most users/customers this type if hosting is sufficient. Problems that you may run into with shared hosting include (but not limited to):
Spam Complaints – Because you are sharing the server with other users, the server might be blacklisted by ISP’s for spamming, even if you didn’t send the spam. It might be another user on the server.
Slower Performance – Again, if there’s one user that’s using alot of resources on the server, it can effect the rest on the server. - Reseller Hosting – This is a step up from the shared hosting account. You are still sharing the server with many other users. However, with the reseller account you can host more than 1 domain, and sometimes give each domain their own control panel. As a reseller, you can control how much resources is alloted to each of the domains/accounts under your reseller account.
- VPS Hosting – A VPS means “Virtual Private Server.” They are also called a VDS. With a VPS, you are sharing a server with fewer users than you would in a shared or reseller hosting package. With a VPS, it is like having your own mini server. You generally have full root access, and can configure and install things as you want, without effecting other users sharing the VPS Node (server.)
- Dedicated Hosting – As the name implies, it’s dedicated. In this setting, you aren’t sharing the server with anyone. You have full root access to the server, and can take full advantage of the resources purchased.
- Colocation Hosting – With colocation, you own the hardware (servers, routers, switches, etc.) You simply are using the network of the provider (their power, internet connection, AC, etc) This can be a cost effective means of setting up your server. But keep in mind, that the initial cost of the hardware can be expensive.
The above are the basic types of hosting. Over the years, new forms of the above have been born. For example, from Dedicated and Colo Hosting you will find Managed Hosting – where the provider manages the server for you. You’ll also find Grid Hosting and Cluster Hosting, which is typically a more redundant than traditional dedicated and colocation hosting. You’ll also find: image hosting, file hosting, blog hosting, forum hosting, and so much more. These are all just different variations of the traditional hosting types.
I hope you found this article useful. It’s important that when you are searching for hosting, you seriously consider your needs. Is uptime the most important thing to you? Can’t afford to not have your email? Then you might want to consider a dedicated solution. Or perhaps a backup mail solution. Whatever the case, make sure you do plenty of research on the hosting company that you choose. Make sure they have good reviews and from more than one source.
