Have you ever wondered how websites work on the internet? Despite there being numerous sites, some still are able to work fast and efficiently. Moreover, have you questioned how images and codes become viewable in the online world? Read below to find out how website hosting works.
Website Hosting 101
A web host is like an online hard drive that allows your content to be housed or stored on a server. Every piece of code, image, and HTML that you place on the host becomes available and searchable online. To put it simply, a web host allows you to rent or buy a space available on the World Wide Web. Imagine having all your furniture and appliances but no house to put it in. Without somewhere to host or store it, you have nowhere to contain or manage your information.
A web host is capable of around the world through a server. There are numerous web hosting service providers that you can choose from that varies on their server and connectivity that they offer. Similarly, web host providers also differ depending on your needs and line of business.
Despite these differences, the key to success is finding the most reliable website hosting provider. Depending on your choice of plan, hosts are offered at different prices starting from free to an expensive one.
Different Types of Website Host
Every server is also not the same. The types of web hosting available now vary from the kind of technology that is used for the server. Additionally, the web host’s provided level of management and additional services offered also matters.
Shared Hosting
When a website is hosted on the same server along with a lot of different websites, then it is considered as shared hosting. If you have a start-up website, shared hosting is ideal as it is less costly and easy to set up. But it is worth noting that you cannot expect a lot of traffic in the short term when you opt for this type of hosting. Personal sites like blog sites and portfolios as well as those that belong to small and medium businesses, benefit the most from shared hosting.
Large websites that aim to drive a lot of traffic will not benefit from shared hosting. Rather, what these sites need is a dedicated server with a good amount of resources. This will serve as an assurance that large sites will get excellent performance.
VPS Hosting
VPS or virtual private servers hosting is also known as a virtual dedicated server (VDS). This is when a virtual server appears to each client as a dedicated server. But in reality, it is actually serving multiple websites. VPS hosting is the way to getting your very own dedicated website.
VPS Hosting is a more secure and stable solution compared to shared hosting. The reason is that in shared hosting, you do not get a dedicated server space. This type of hosting is a good choice for website owners who already have medium-level traffic more what shared hosting can hold but still do not need a dedicated server.
This type of hosting differs from shared hosting in the sense that it gives the clients full control to their site.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated Hosting is a web hosting package that provides every client with a dedicated server with dedicated resources. If your website is built using WordPress, and you already have a large number of website visitors, then dedicated hosting is a must consider.
However, you have to note that dedicated hosting is fairly expensive compared to other affordable website hosting plans. But despite the cost, you are getting what you paid for since this type of hosting gives you total control over the server, the software, as well as the security system.
Another thing that you have to note when you opt for dedicated hosting is that you must have the technical expertise to be able to manage the platform all by yourself.
Cloud Hosting
To balance the load and maximize your site’s uptime, cloud hosting uses multiple diverse servers. Rather than tapping into a single server, with cloud hosting, your website will connect to a cluster that utilizes resources from a centralized source. Meaning, if one server fails, your site will connect to another server to prevent any site error.
Usually, cloud hosting plans offer unmetered and reliable bandwidth. Along with these two is unlimited disk space for infinite domains. This is the reason why a lot of website owners prefer cloud hosting.
Reseller Hosting
This form of web hosting allows site owners to use their allotted hard drive space and bandwidth to host a website for third party users. In this case, the original owner of the hosting account is the reseller. If you do not need much disk space and bandwidth, reseller hosting is something to consider.
Why Exactly Do You Need a Web Host
Web hosting is the process of uploading the files that make up a website from your computer to a web server. Web hosts allocate server resources such as RAM, hard drive space, and bandwidth to the websites that they host.
When you pay for a web host, you are getting someone to manage all backend concerns for you. You will also have someone to do maintenance and repair of your servers. Basically, you need a web host to save you from the hassle of repairing and maintaining your website.
So, what exactly happens when a site doesn’t have a host?
The answer to this question is simple. If your site does not have a host, you don’t have a website. It is not enough that you have a great domain name to have your site active. A website needs both a domain to find you and a host to store your website or information on.
Put simply, web hosting is the process of buying a server where you can store your website files. If you do not have one, there will be no place for your website to exist.
If you need a website host in Melbourne for your website, reach us today for a free consultation or check out our affordable plans!
