dissecting-hosting-shared-vps-and-dedicated-hostingHosting can be split up into three main types: Shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. Shared hosting plans are the least expensive and are designed to be the most user-friendly. VPS and dedicated hosting are less user-friendly, but offer the biggest payoff.

The Most Economical Option is Shared Web Hosting Service

A shared hosting service is one in which many websites can inhabit the same server, which is connected to the internet. Each site then lives on its own little section of the server; this is a practice which serves to keep it separate from other sites.

Shared hosting can be done in one of two ways: name-based or IP-based, though some control panels allow a combination thereof. The provider is generally responsible for managing servers, installing server software, handling the security updates, providing technical support, and committing to all other aspects of hosting, which is why shared hosting is the most user-friendly of all the hosting types.

Shared hosting is more inexpensive than other options because it drives down costs by hosting more websites on a single server. This drives down price on the customer’s end, but isn’t great for anyone who is planning on developing extensive software beyond what the hosting provider offers. Shared web hosting is the best choice for startups because an upgrade to more expensive hosting can be applied at any time, and why pay for traffic you’re not currently receiving?

Choose VPS Hosting for More Control over Your Plan

VPS (Virtual private servers) hosting is different because, rather than running just one hosting account on one computer and/or server, virtual private servers share one single server. VPS hosting typically offers a minimum allocation of available resource that is granted 24/7.

One of the major benefits of VPS hosting is the amount of control you have over your hosting plan. You can reboot the server at will, install new software, and do a wide variety of other things that are not supported in other hosting types.

How Does Dedicated Hosting Compare to VPS?

Dedicated servers are the fastest and most powerful options on the market. That being said, there are some higher-end VPS hosting options which are formidable opponents when pitted against the lower of the dedicated servers. Dedicated hosting tends to occupy the upper rungs of the web hosting ladder and, unfortunately, is priced as such. There are a lot of benefits to going with dedicated hosting servers; some of which are not even available on VPS or shared hosting.

One of the biggest benefits of using a dedicated server is that it is generally under total control of the user/customer. As a result, the server can be rebooted as the customer sees fit, as well as can be completely customized when it comes to software. Furthermore, dedicated servers are able to run pretty much anything that their hardware can support.

The hardware that goes with a dedicated server is another point of interest that can be chalked up as a benefit. Dedicated servers put all of the resources at the disposal of a single customer, unlike the way in which VPS hosting shares all of the resources of a single computer. Thus, with dedicated hosting, memory, hard drive capacity, processing power, and even network access are all left up to a single user, rather than with multiple customers (VPS) or dozens of shared web hosting customers (shared hosting).

With all of the various hosting types laid out, with all of their benefits and issues weighed out, it’s up to you to decide which works best for you. When choosing an internet hosting service/server to work with, it’s best to take into consideration several aspects, such as: budget, needs, requirements, and software needs.