Different Web Hosting Solutions- Advantages and Disadvantages

In the contemporary world, every entrepreneur and corporate enterprise is trying their level best to make their mark on the millions of people surfing the internet from all walks of life. Thanks to technology, as a business person you can serve customers across the globe regardless of your geographical location. Websites are one of the efficient and effective ways you can communicate to masses in a short time. As a beginner, you need to understand the different web hosting solutions as well as their pros and cons so that you can make a well thought out and informed decision. The various web hosting solutions in the market are:

Shared Web Hosting

This is the most popular type of web hosting in the market. It is suitable for both corporate clients and individual entrepreneurs. Some of these providers use Linux or Windows. Shared hosting packages are usually scalable, so you can start with a small plan and increase as your business expands. This plan has gained popularity due to its relatively low cost and excellent customer support system.

Advantages of Shared Hosting

1. It is cost effective since you are just required to pay a few dollars per month, and if you pay annually then you are often given a discount.
2. You have the option of using your own domain as well as domain email.
3. You’ll receive superb customer support. This is necessary because customers may have queries which need to be handled in real time.
4. It provides a variety of tools to optimize your site and make it more dynamic and efficient.

Disadvantages

1. You have certain restrictions on file types and software languages.
2. You share space with other sites since you are using the same server which exposes your site to some risks.
3. When the traffic to your site increases immensely, you can outgrow your space and will need to move.

Dedicated Web Hosting

Unlike shared hosting, dedicated web hosting services host your site on its own server. This means that you have the autonomy of determining how you will allocate your resources in the server.

Advantages

1. It allows you to use multiple domains.
2. You can host additional sites if you choose.
3. Unlimited types and amounts of software solutions are available.

Disadvantages

1. It is very expensive and thus only suitable for larger organizations and sites that have immense traffic.
2. You must have high technological know-how and skill to operate-this could be a hindrance to start-ups and businesses with low software development budgets.

Free Web Hosting

Here you do not have to pay one penny because it is absolutely free. This can be beneficial for personal use, but for business purposes, a paid web host will be a better option. The disadvantages of free hosting outweigh the benefit of saving money.

Disadvantages

1. Software types are limited.
2. There is no domain name.
3. Usually pop ups or banner ads are placed on your site which are obtrusive to your visitors.
4. You have limited ability to expand your files.
5. It features slow and unreliable customer support.
6. Your site is less secure.
7. It does not have very useful features – like blogging tools – which help to make your site more appealing and dynamic.

Virtual Private Server (VPS) Web Hosting

Here, a single server is divided into several servers, and each of them acts as a dedicated server. This is an aspect that is making VPS web hosting solutions popular in the market. It is cheaper than dedicated hosting and, at the same time, more secure than shared web hosting. Unlike in a shared hosting, the speed of the site is not affected by other site contents and speed, because each sub-server works independently.

Content Management System (CMS) Web Hosting

This category of web hosting solution allows you to change the templates, designs, and content according to your needs and demands. It is the most user-friendly web hosting solution. It is easy to set up and use. Some of the CMS hosting services in the market are Word Press, Drupal and Joomla.

Author bio:

This article is contributed by Leo Preston. She wrote here about different web hosting solutions, their advantage and disadvantages. She wants to thank WebHostingJam.com for giving her some ideas.