Once you have made decisions on your domain name and web design you can think about web hosting.
Your website files will need to be uploaded to a web server so they can be viewed online by anyone typing your URL into a web browser. A web server is a computer that has been set up specifically to host multiple web sites.
Web hosting is specialist activity and even large companies will use data centres. Some hobbyist IT specialists may operate their own web servers but we would not recommend this option as you won’t get good value for money and risk security issues on your website.
Your web designer will probably have made decisions on your behalf regarding web hosting but it is always useful to know more about the different options available.
What is web hosting
Here is a good definition of web hosting:
Web hosting is an online service that allows you to publish your website files onto the internet. So, anyone who has access to the internet has access to your website. In practice, it usually refers to the service you get from a web hosting provider like us at Web Growth.
There are several different types of web hosting. The decision depends on your budget, your future plans and technical requirements to enable your website to run properly.
Here are some typical types of web hosting in ascending order of cost:
Shared web hosting
Shared hosting is a hosting type that allows multiple websites to share the same server resources, including storage space, RAM, and CPU. Such a setup optimizes server resources and cuts costs, making shared hosting a popular choice for owners of small websites and businesses who are just starting up.
The main advantage is the price. This is the cheapest option and often comes with features that you may have to pay extra for such as emails, SSL certificates etc.
The disadvantage is you may get slow performance or issues with the reputation of the server if another website on the server gets hacked.
VPS web hosting
Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is the intermediate option between shared and dedicated hosting solutions.
On a single physical server, it creates separate virtual spaces for each user. Although one physical server is shared, each virtual server gets its own set of resources, ensuring that the hosted websites don’t compete with each other for these resources.
The primary benefit of VPS hosting lies in its enhanced flexibility and resource availability. You or web designer will have much more control of their resources and features. VPS hosting offers a cost-effective solution for websites outgrowing shared web hosting.
Dedicated web hosting
Dedicated hosting offers the exclusive use of an entire physical server for a single client. This hosting model provides the ultimate level of control, performance, and security, as website owners are not required to share any of the server’s resources with other clients.
It is more expensive and is the appropriate choice for high traffic websites such as e-commerce.
There are other types of specialist hosting such as Managed WordPress or Cloud hosting. The best option is to discuss this choice with your web designer.
Get in touch with Dinesh on 07941 686113 or contact us if you need help on web design, web hosting, SEO services or domain names.
