Types of Website Hosting

The simplest and most affordable type of hosting, where several websites are hosted on the same physical server to share its resources, such as processing power, memory and storage.

Advantages

• Low cost and inexpensive
• Normally includes a control panel
• Simple to set up and use
• Suitable for new startups or users with little or no technical experience
• Usually includes services such as email and database facilities

Disadvantages

• Resources are shared with other websites
• Performance can be affected by other websites or applications located on the same, physical server
• Limited control of the server or hosting environment
• Not suitable for websites which have a high amount of traffic or require large bandwidth

This is the option which is normally used when creating a website for a blog, new start up or small business and provides an affordable option to host a website. By sharing the hosting with other websites, the resources which are available are being shared, in turn, sharing the costs.

Note: When sharing a server with other websites, you will not see other user websites and the other users will not see yours. Shared hosting is setup by hosting providers so that users will access just their files and data, while also have some control of what can be used and setup. Other resources such as disk space, memory and bandwidth will normally, only be viewed and managed the hosting provider.

Also described as a 'VPS', it involves a physical server which is divided into several virtual servers, where each virtual server is allocated with its own resources and operating environment. Like a normal computer, this will include an allocated amount of memory, storage, processing power or bandwidth being made available as part of the VPS package.

As a customer or tenant, you will be able to configure your own server software to operate your own apps, with their own customisations. A website developer or IT professional, even in some cases the hosting provider, will be able to advise you on this, even configuring the basic hosting environment and allocating the required resources for the website or application.

Advantages

• Offers more control than shared hosting
• Better performance
• Dedicated allocation of resources
• Can be customised
• Easier to scale than basic shared hosting

Disadvantages

• More expensive than shared hosting
• Requires more technical knowledge
• Physical hardware is still shared

Having a dedicated hosting package simply means that an entire physical server is allocated to a single customer.

As a customer or tenant using a dedicated hosting package, you would have a hosting type which is similar to a VPS, except that you will not be sharing the server, virtually or physically, with other websites or apps. A dedicated hosting package will provide you with the services which are required for a high demand, enterprise grade website which may have thousands of users.

Advantages

• High performance
• Full control of the physical server
• Large amounts of available resources
• More flexibility to configure the setup to suit your own requirements
• Suitable for demanding applications

Disadvantages

• More expensive
• May require technical expertise to be provided by the customer
• The customer may be responsible for much of the server administration

Dedicated hosting is more suited for large businesses or websites with a large amount of user traffic, or which have resource intensive applications operating.

Rather than relying on a single physical server, cloud hosting uses a network of connected, multiple servers in order to handle changes in demand more effectively by distributing resources.

The setup which cloud hosting provides, offers an affordable, flexible, scalable and reliable web infrastructure.

Advantages

• Highly scalable
• Can ensure availability and speed
• Resources can be increased when required
• Ideally suited for websites which experience wide variations in traffic
• Less dependent on a single physical server

Disadvantages

• Pricing can be more varied or complex
• Configuration can be technically demanding
• Costs can increase as resource use increases

Cloud hosting is an effective type of hosting that can facilitate the operation of a website or application, which is resource intensive or uses a large amount of files, images and videos. While providing a reliable solution to accommodate for spikes in traffic or seasonal demands, it also provides the potential for an infinite amount of storage and increased reliability, as the hosting services are spread across multiple servers.

Colocation, sometimes referred to as 'Server Colocation', is different from a traditional hosting package or service. Instead of renting a server from a hosting provider, the server or servers, which are owned by an individual or organisation, are installed within a specialist data centre to provide facilities and services such as:

• Electricity
• Internet connectivity
• Physical security
• Cooling
• Backup power
• Data centre infrastructure

The individual or organisation who owns the server, normally remains responsible for their own hardware and software. Best suited for large organisations that require significant control over their hardware and infrastructure, the service allows server owners to store their server off-site, essentially outsourcing other requirements such as the connectivity, power supply and external or external security.

This is normally associated with part of the service provided by a hosting provider, if the customer is using a dedicated or VPS hosting package. It involves the hosting provider taking responsibility for some, or many of the technical aspects of operating a server and may include:

• Server updates
• Security configuration
• Backups
• Performance monitoring
• Technical support
• System maintenance

Advantages

• Less technical administration
• Professional support
• Security and maintenance may be handled by the hosting service provider
• Allows businesses, website owners and administrators to concentrate on their website

Disadvantages

• Can be more expensive than unmanaged hosting
• Less control over some technical settings and configurations

A managed hosting service is seen by some as an add-on to an existing hosting package. It is best suited to businesses and website owners who want to outsource their technical requirements, with professional server management.

Again, normally a service which is added onto an existing hosting package, it allows an individual or company to purchase hosting resources from a hosting provider, to then resell the same services to its own customers.

For example, a website design agency or I.T. company could use a reseller package to provide hosting services for the businesses they provide other technology services for.

Advantages

• Allows businesses to offer hosting without operating their own data centre or servers
• Can create an additional revenue stream
• Useful for website design agencies and I.T. companies

Disadvantages

• The reseller remains dependent on the underlying hosting provider
• Customer support may become the reseller's responsibility
• Resources depend on the reseller package