So you’ve decided to reserve space on a server for your website- -terrific! But how do you pick the best web host for it?
The smartest way is to decide what exactly you want from a hosting site, and then determine what type of server matches your needs. This can seem like a daunting task at first, but a better understanding of how different servers function will help you make your choice.
We will look at four types of web hosting servers together, but before we do, let’s go over some basic terms. A server, which refers to one powerful computer, is part of the giant computer network that makes up the internet. These computers run constantly and can serve as a host for you website, allowing people to find it on the World Wide Web.
Other good terms to know are disk space, which refers to the allotment of space a server has granted you, and bandwidth, which describes the rate at which data is transferred from your site to someone visiting it.
A SQL is a database language that comes in handy for more complex sites, while a Cpanel or a web hosting manager (WHM) are what allow you to administer hosting accounts. Complete administrative control is called root access. With those terms under our belt, let’s examine the different types of webhosts.
- A shared hosting server: This type of server, as the name suggests, is shared between multiple users. The bandwidth and space aren’t large, but it’s inexpensive, so if you are running just a few sites or do not plan to receive many visitors (less than 2000 per month)it’s a good choice. It does not, however, give you much control of your site, and the users diminish the resources that are available to you. Note that heavy traffic can lead to a suspension of your account.
- Reseller hosting: People who use this type of web hosting purchase a sizeable amount of server space (often at a good price), use what they want and then rent out or resell the rest to third parties. This gives the original buyer more control and provides space for dozens of accounts and sites. Available features are limited, however, and too much traffic can still lead to account suspensions. Managing one of these with WHM can be confusing.
- A VPS or virtual private server: These servers provide space for few users, usually around three, and guarantee that you get a considerable percentage of the resources available on the server. Using a VPS allows you to resell hosting, run dozens of websites, and gives you nearly total control over the server, as well as the scripts you want to run. VPS are more complicated to use and often require knowledge of WHM or a cpanel. You will need to deal with setting up the server name, and make allowances for greater costs.
- Dedicated server hosting: This is the most powerful server you can obtain, affording root access to the server, and allowing you to host hundreds of websites, and let you resell hosting. These are ideal for experienced users, but can be intimidating for novices. Using this server can cost a bundle and you will have to come up with the server names.
Now that you know what services the different kinds of web hosts offer, you’ll just need to figure out which company to choose, before you find the best web host for you.
