Dedicated web hosting is one of three primary methods. Other types of hosting include virtual hosting,sometimes called shared hosting, which is the most common web hosting method; and clustered which uses a group of servers that are integrated in order to increase performance and redundancy for a customer who has unique needs. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to the various methods. Dedicated is a hosting method that many internet-based businesses find to be extremely advantageou
Dedicated web hosting is one of three primary methods. Other types of hosting include virtual hosting,sometimes called shared hosting, which is the most common web hosting method; and clustered which uses a group of servers that are integrated in order to increase performance and redundancy for a customer who has unique needs. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to the various methods. Dedicated is a hosting method that many internet-based businesses find to be extremely advantageous.
With virtual or shared , you dont have a lot of flexibility or control over your server that your hosting provider owns. The company providing shared web hosting services partitions a server to be shared between a number of customers for their websites and email. Because it is a shared server, the customers with virtual on the server share the hard drive, the processor, and the bandwidth as well as applications.
The web host that provides the virtual hosting services has control over the server configurations.
Dedicated is a step up from virtual because, even if the server is provided by a web hosting company, with dedicated you are the only customer that uses the server and you generally have complete control of the server for administrative purposes. Because you administer and control the server yourself, you have greater flexibility. The hosting company that provides dedicated web hosting services generally owns the server and leases it to you client so they are responsible for hardware management. Depending upon the dedicated services provided, you may be able to handle your own upgrades and install your own software, or you can outsource such tasks to the provider.
Aside from flexibility and control, there are other advantages of having dedicated . Because you are the only customer using the server, you dont share resources such as hard drive space, processing speed, bandwidth and applications, so dedicated web hosting can be a lot more efficient and can provide a lot more space and speed of processing for your website, database and email applications. The disadvantage as compared to virtual is that the cost of dedicated web hosting is higher than that of shared hosting.
For most internet-based businesses, hosting is sufficient; however, for businesses with advanced needs custom engineering and server design using clustered hosting may be necessary. However, clustered hosting is really pretty rare. For businesses that need custom applications and more space than what is available in a shared environment, dedicated web hosting is usually the answer.
Upgrading from virtual to dedicated is recommended if your business has multiple websites, uses custom applications, needs specialized support or increased space and speed. If your website or websites provide download capabilities for customers, then dedicated is a good option for you because there will be fewer bandwidth restrictions than there are with virtual or shared.
When you first start out in internet business, you may find that virtual is sufficient and cost-effective; however, as your business grows and you add features and capabilities to your website, or launch multiple websites, dedicated web hosting may be a better option. When making long-term plans for your internet business, be sure to consider the possibility of upgrading to hosting in the future and the relative costs involved. It is beneficial to choose a virtual provider that offers the ability to quickly and easily upgrade to dedicated when it becomes a necessity for your business.
