What are the different kinds of web hosts?
What are the different types of web hosting?
Depending on the level you need, or how big of a website you plan, basic shared hosting might not be enough. Here is a rundown of the most popular types of web hosting available.
Shared
Shared hosting is the usage of part of a server. Most websites use shared resources, as it is the cheapest and easiest to set up. There are a lot of advantages here, including the fact that it will be the least expensive, and you can find an abundance of companies offering it. However, there are also a few drawbacks; you are going to be sharing the processing power of the server, as well as its bandwidth, with everyone else who has purchased a shared account for that particular server. If someone’s site takes up massive amounts of bandwidth or has a lot of CPU heavy processes ran on it regularly, it can slow down everybody else’s website.
Reseller
Reseller accounts are quite popular with people who want to start their own website hosting business. Perhaps you already have an existing business and would like to expand into the web hosting world. Reseller would undoubtedly be the type of provider in that case, since sections of a server can be partitioned out to several different clients. They would then pay the reseller just like the reseller pays the main company. This allows you to run your own business without the vast startup fees associated with getting a server and having it placed somewhere, especially since the reseller will still have to pay for the internet connection and the maintenance fees.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)
If someone looks for a solution that combines affordability with the need for a decent amount of bandwidth and processing power, then VPS is advisable. VPS hosting suits medium-sized forums and other websites that are process intensive, but that do not get a huge amount of traffic. It provides a quality site to visitors at a fairly low price considering what a customer would get for it. While it is still technically in the same server as other accounts, it does not matter how many resources others use, it would have no bearing on one’s website whatsoever.
Dedicated Servers
Large websites that have a lot of traffic use dedicated hosting; it is pretty much the best you can buy. Renting an entire server but still having it be maintained by the company you are renting it from. This gives complete control over everything on the server, including the OS and allocating resources. It is not for everyone though. In fact, it would only be worth it for a select few, especially since it usually costs at the very least $150 a month, and goes up from there depending on the server and its connection.
What is the best option for me?
That depends, for a first website that is about a business or interest, shared web hosting will usually be the best bet. We have listed the top companies for comparison. Shared accounts provide a solid way to get a site on the internet with the lowest price possible. Reseller accounts are the way to go for people who want to have their own web host. It partitions everything and comes with a control panel for the administration. For people who just need a more powerful solution, a VPS or a dedicated server would be an optimal choice.
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