Types of Web Hosting

Web hosting companies offer a variety of web hosting solutions, depending on your needs. It is important to understand the different solutions that are available so as to make an informed decision.

Web hosting companies offer a variety of web hosting solutions, depending on your needs. It is important to understand the different solutions that are available so as to make an informed decision. Below are some of the more common types of web hosting:

1. Shared Web Hosting: (also called virtual hosting). This is the most common form of web hosting as it is very cost effective, making it affordable and efficient. The cost will depend on the number of clients sharing the server. In this form of web hosting, you will be sharing one server with a number of your hosting company’s clients. It is common that each website should have their own domain name, even though a server is being shared by many. Although administrators of the hosting company will use server software to confine any errors so as to prevent other users from being affected, there remains the remains the possibility of problems occurring and all the websites on the server going down.
2. Dedicated Web Hosting: Unlike shared web hosting, dedicated web hosting allows you to rent an entire server yourself and thereby, have access to all of its resources to allow you to host one or more websites. If your website is one of high traffic, creating complex web based applications and requires a high degree of uptime; this would be the favored web hosting solution for you. It is a very expensive option but it is in turn very powerful and secure, with almost unlimited software solutions. Hosting packages of this nature are often customized to suit the needs of the customer with regard to bandwidth, memory and storage space required.
3. Server Co-Location: This option makes it possible to custom-build your own server and places it in a provider’s data centre. In other words, it allows you to position your own web server on the premises of a service provider. Under this option, you would purchase a server and then supply it to the host. This allows websites that are very customized and specialized to function at peak performance.
4. Reseller Web Hosting: This solution is perfect for entrepreneurs and businesses that wish to host on behalf of their customers. Here you would contract with a hosting company to sell their server space under your brand name.
5. Free Web Hosting: This would be the ideal option if you are not able or do not wish to spend money to host your website. Candidates for this solution are usually small sites with low traffic. It is often the case that you will not be able to use your own domain name and will be obliged to use that which is provided for you by your hosting company. Such domain name is often difficult to remember and type, and is not very professional.