When starting off a website, the web hosting questions start to appear. You soon find out that you probably need to get one of those web hosts…
But what is a web host really?
The web hosting subject is all over Google and YouTube, with blogs and articles giving you tons of information on what it is and if it’s needed.
And the answer always sums up to
Yes, you need a web host if you want to run a website.
At first, everyone is a beginner when it comes to websites and how exactly they work. Even the people who are experts now were beginners back in the days they were starting off.
We believe that knowledge of web hosting and what it consists of is vital. When you are informed you are more likely to make the right decisions when choosing to start off your website and avoid making costly mistakes.
Why do I need a web host to run my website?
Before we answer this we must understand what a server is.
Web servers are computers that are stored in spaces of very high security and controlled conditions, sometimes called data centers. These computers are the reason you are able to read this article right now on this website, from wherever you are. It interconnects users to websites and makes it possible for webpages to exist.
Now, what’s the relationship between a web host and a server?
Let’s draw a picture and it will all become very clear.
Imagine that our Earth is the server. Now imagine that every house on Earth is a website filled with furniture and materials which resemble the code, files, and images of the website. Houses need a piece of land to be built on, exactly like websites need space on a server to run.
The process by which a website owner pays to rent a space on the server is what we call Web Hosting.
Different types of hosting.
The type of hosting you will choose will depend completely on your needs. It will also largely depend on your technical and coding skills as well as your website’s traffic.
Let’s Dive into 4 of the main types of hosting and let’s see which one suits you best.
Shared Hosting:
With shared hosting you basically have ‘server neighbours’ which you share the same resources (software) with.
You share the space you use on the server, with other websites.
This is the lowest budget choice and is almost always a good enough option for beginners.
However, bear in mind that shared hosting isn’t built for websites that get high amounts of traffic. In addition, if some of the hundreds of websites you are sharing resources with, get boosts of traffic, then your website’s performance might get hurt.
VPS (Virtual Private Server):
This type of web hosting can be considered as the ‘sandwich’ between shared hosting and dedicated hosting (covered in the next paragraph).
VPS hosting basically sums up to this:
You share the server with other websites, but your website has it’s own space on the server.
This option offers more flexibility in customization and control over resources. It also allows more storage space and possibly better performance than with shared hosting.
This type of hosting costs slightly more than shared hosting but a lot less than dedicated hosting.
A downside to VPS hosting might be that your site’s performance might still get affected by the sites you share the server with.
And bear in mind that, for VPS you might need some technical skills.
Dedicated Hosting:
This type of hosting basically means that you share the server with no one.
You have complete control over the software, and you can modify anything regarding security, functions, etc.
If you have a website that gets big amounts of traffic daily, then this hosting type might be the best option for you.
Dedicated hosting is quite pricy, and expertise is needed regarding the managing of the server.
If you are worried that you do not have the expertise needed to pull this off, you can purchase a dedicated hosting plan which will provide experts on server management. At Online Solutions, we host websites on our own dedicated servers, and we take care of all the technical operations for you.
Managed Hosting:
Managed hosting means that you have experts on software making sure your website will be performing perfectly (optimized, updated, etc.) It is versatile as a hosting type since it has different package deals that satisfy different needs.
Therefore, depending on the amount of traffic your website generates and other features you’ll choose to have, you will rent an appropriate space on a server. The space you rent on the server will be managed by the experts of the company you purchased your managed hosting from.
This means that you don’t need any expertise to pull this one off. And the cost of it depends entirely on your needs and the specific hosting plan you chose.
Conclusion:
To sum things up…
Yes, it is vital for you to have a web host if you are serious about creating a website.
You have some good options regarding web hosting types, but we recommend you do some research before getting excited and purchasing the first web hosting plan you see on the web. Every website is different, it generates different amounts of traffic and has different needs.
All of the above translate to a specific type of web hosting that will be able to satisfy the needs of your website at the moment.
You can always switch from one hosting type to the other if you outgrow your current one.
Make sure though you are aware of what you are looking for upfront.
We can host your Website!
Online Solutions is proud to own dedicated servers, to host our client’s websites.
We have been involved in this area for years now. And our experience has taught us valuable lessons that we use to provide you with the best services we can.
Looking to launch your website? Do you need someone to guide you through web hosting and your options?
We would love to speak to you and help you out!
