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What is Web Hosting
Web hosting is arguably one of the most important elements of getting your website up and running. Why? Because web hosting allows you to get your website onto the internet and enables customers to access your website online.
Hosting companies allow you to place your website onto their servers. Your website is then presented to the internet from their server. There are many factors to consider when choosing how to host your website, and we will be going through a few of them.
Shared vs Managed Hosting
There are two main types of hosting, shared hosting and managed hosting. Each type has its benefits and drawbacks. Choosing the correct type is based on what you require from your website.
Shared hosting is the more common of the two types. It allows you to host your website on a server that also hosts other customers’ websites. Shared hosting is often cheaper than managed hosting as disk space, resources, and the physical hardware used is shared among multiple customers. Because of this, you may notice a decrease in the performance of your site compared to that of managed hosting.
Shared hosting also comes with a basic control panel where you will need to set up your website from scratch.
With managed hosting, your site is often hosted on a server where resources are dedicated to you. This results in a faster website. You also get a customised control panel based on what you need. Managed hosting also gives you services such as automatic backups and updates to the server and a pre-installed CMS system (usually WordPress). This means that setting up and maintaining your website becomes a lot easier. Managed hosting does come with a range of advantages, as well as additional support, but it is often a lot more expensive than shared hosting.
Choosing between shared and managed hosting is solely dependant on your needs. For those who need a simple site or are working on a budget, shared hosting would be the best option. For those who are wanting an intricate site with optimal performance and additional support, managed hosting is the way to go.
Hosting Packages
Hosting companies often offer a variety of packages from which you can choose. Each package comes with different features and choosing the correct package is based on what features you require.
The amount of storage you need is mainly determined by the content you have on your website. If your website contains a lot of images and media, you will most likely need more storage.
Your email also plays a part in storage requirements. If you are using your host’s default email system, your emails are most likely going to be stored on the server of your website. The more emails you have, the more storage will be used.
Different hosting packages offer a different number of databases. Most basic hosting packages only come with one database. If you are using a CMS system such as WordPress, this will already use up one database, and other features you may have on your site that store data will often require additional databases. If you are also planning to connect an app to your website, you will often do this by connecting to a database.
If you are opting to use the email included in your hosting package, the number of email accounts you need becomes an important factor. Different hosting packages come with a different number of email addresses. It is important to note that the number of email accounts you need is not only determined by the number of people that will need email accounts. It is also determined by the generic accounts you will need for different departments within your business as well as any automatic reply accounts.
How Can We Help You
Finding the best hosting option can take some time and research. Time that we would like you to spend ensuring your company’s success. We can take in what your requirements are and how you would like everything to run and find the most optimal solution for you.