Servers host all websites. A server is a piece of hardware that supports all the information on your site. You access every element of this data through a hosting provider, including text, video, files, images, etc.
Servers are in data centers. Web hosting companies run and manage these centers and provide your business with the platform and space it needs for customers to access the website. They allow current and prospective customers to find your website online and view it.
Speed and Security are Critical
While there’s no shortage of relevant providers on the market today, one thing all businesses have in common is the need for fast and secure web hosting. Speed and security are aspects few websites can afford to compromise on as the consequences for the business and its customers can be costly.
The main types of web hosting are shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. They are best for small, medium, and large businesses, respectively. Read on for the details.
Best Hosting for Small Businesses
Even a small business can’t afford to forgo a website today, perhaps especially a small business. You can use several helpful tools and platforms to build an online presence. Shared hosting is best because of its low cost and relative ease of use.
Two reputable shared hosting providers are Namecheap and GreenGeeks. Namecheap is not only affordable but also offers 24/7 live chat support. Startups without specialized technical knowledge will find solace in this provider’s army of tech support professionals.
GreenGeeks is the best eco-friendly shared hosting provider, hands down. They use specific processes and technologies to keep their carbon footprint low.
Best Hosting for Medium-sized Businesses
VPS hosting is best for a medium-sized or small business that needs constant uptime. VPS stands for Virtual Private Server and benefits website operators with some technical background who want to customize their configurations.
Small businesses that see a spike in traffic can choose to upgrade to VPS hosting. If your site has outgrown the capacity of shared hosting, you’ll find VPS hosting offers more storage space and bandwidth.
Types of VPS Hosting
There is managed and unmanaged VPS hosting. If you’re not tech-savvy, the first option might be better because the host will take care of your coding and server management commands. If you want to take care of website security and want full root access, unmanaged VPS hosting is for you. It will allow you to set things up just as you prefer.
Another advantage of VPS hosting is improved scalability and flexibility, which is something few growing online businesses can do without. Businesses with VPS hosting can scale the server resources they need according to how much traffic the website is getting.
At peak traffic times, you can request more bandwidth from your provider and vice versa.
One final plus of VPS web hosting is that it provides you with your portion of a remote physical server, allowing you to use your imagination and creativity. It means you or your hosting provider can configure your website optimally. There will be no need to compete with other sites for server resources.
Best Hosting for Large Businesses
Large businesses usually find dedicated hosting the best choice because only they have access to the server. They enjoy better uptime and higher speeds as a result. They don’t share resources with other users, making dedicated hosting the most expensive.
A business with dedicated hosting has control over the server at all times. They choose configurations and don’t have to worry about traffic from other users interfering.
Websites that run on dedicated hosting plans can support hundreds of thousands of visits. Dedicated servers are a good choice for websites that host sensitive data, such as financial services and medical providers.
As with VPS hosting, you can choose to manage the server yourself or hire someone to do it. If you choose the former, you’ll need to install updates and monitor for errors on your own.
Pluses of dedicated hosting:
- Fast load times.
- Not sharing resources with any other websites.
- Optimal performance.
- High uptimes.
- Complete control over the server.
- High security.
Minuses of dedicated hosting:
- Most expensive type of web hosting
- Requires prior technical skills
- You are responsible for everything
