Web Hosting – Types of Hosting

A web hosting service is a kind of Internet hosting service which enables people and companies to create their site accessible through the World Wide Web with the help of a web server. VPS hosting services can be termed as a business necessity, since it is one of the ways through which an organization or a person who is not comfortable in owning a server can access the Internet. There are many kinds of hosting servers, including Shared Hosting, Home Server, Cloud Hosting and clustered server. There are also some other types of services available like File Transfer Protocol (FTP), image host, blog hosting etc.

The basic function of web hosting services is to provide a place for you to have your own Website. Web Hosting providers will allocate server space on their server in exchange for pay-per-click advertising and web space to a site owner. They can provide you various kinds of add-ons, plug-ins and other services in order to enhance your Website. There is no limit to the number of websites which can be hosted by a web hosting plan. Multiple sites can be hosted on a single server, provided that the space allowed is more than that of the websites being hosted.

Shared Hosting Service Provider: Shared hosting plans are often provided by service providers. These are the most affordable kind of web hosting plans available. In a shared plan, several websites are hosted on a single server provided by the service provider. There is usually a monthly charge for the users, but the service provider may offer more flexible options such as free domain name registration.

Dedicated Web Hosting: In dedicated web hosting services, the main website of the organization is the only one that gets hosted on the server. In such cases, there is no sharing of resources between the websites. This kind of service is ideal for high traffic websites. It is also the most expensive option.

Self-managed Hosting Services: In this case, the users manage their own hosting accounts. The hosting services are provided by the third-party hosting providers. This kind of service is popular with small organizations and individuals. It allows the users to have more control over their servers.

Managed Web Hosting: These are the perfect web hosting solutions for large organizations and businesses. Large organizations can have their own dedicated servers provided by web hosts. However, they will have to share the management and maintenance of the servers. Some providers have a service wherein the clients sign an agreement permitting them access to the servers and to have full rights to install their customized web application. They pay a monthly fee for the use of the servers by the client.

Small Business Hosting: In this case, it is necessary to find good providers who can provide servers that can accommodate a medium-sized business. Usually, medium-sized businesses are hosting their websites using shared servers. However, they need additional support from the host provider such as email support, uptime monitoring, etc. to properly maintain and operate the website.

There are several other types of web hosting services available in the market. However, choosing among these options can be very confusing. In fact, there are many factors that should be considered in choosing a web hosting plan. For example, the type of plan, the space allowed, and the features provided are some of the factors to consider. If you are not able to choose among these different hosting plans, you may want to consider getting a free domain name, using a different name for your website, and getting a shared server.