6 Differences Between Shared Hosting & Dedicated Hosting
When building a website, one of the most crucial decisions that you will make will be what type of hosting services you will select. There are several options, but the two main options are shared hosting and dedicated hosting. When choosing between these two it is important not only to evaluate the features of each, but to compare them as well so that you can better determine which may be the correct option for your particular situation. Here are 6 of the most pertinent differences between shared and dedicated hosting.
#1: Access to Resources
As their names imply, shared and dedicated hosting are differentiated by how the resources of a particular server are divided. The server is what offers a website its virtual “space” on the internet, as well as supporting the functions, operations, and activities of the site. Through the server the owner of the site is able to save information, transfer data, and allow visitors to utilize the features of the website. In a dedicated hosting situation you will have complete access to all of the resources available on a server. This means that you can utilize all of the bandwidth and storage, and will be monitored individually. In a shared hosting situation, however, the resources of a server will be divided among all of the website owners that are assigned to that particular server. The number of users on a server varies from company to company, and from the size of hosting plan that is selected. While a shared hosting plan may be sufficient for those that wish to have only a simple website such as a blog, a dedicated server may be more appropriate for a larger or more complex site such as an e-commerce site.
#2: Speed and Power
A dedicated server will generally provide faster operating speeds and more efficiency than one that is being shared. This is because with a dedicated server only one site is being operated, rather than several sites attempting to operate on one server at the same time.
#3: Security
For many website owners the issue of security is a major concern. Especially for those that will be dealing with sensitive information such as payments or personal data, having the greatest security possible is crucial. Most shared hosting services will provide security measures that protect the site owner and the users, if you are concerned with extensive security, a dedicated server is the likely the best option. Dedicated hosting services are also more likely to offer advanced options because they can be supported by the more widely available storage space and bandwidth capabilities. Some of these security measures may include troubleshooting options, and data recovery.
#4: Quality of Equipment and Customer Support
Though the equipment that is used for shared hosting plans is usually perfectly adequate, and often of the highest possible technological quality, if you select a reputable web hosting company, you are likely to have access to state-of-the art equipment that is more powerful and has undergone less use than with shared server options. This is because with the greater demand for dedicated web hosting packages new equipment must be bought.
When it comes to customer support, all service provider should offer customer support that is both efficient and attentive. It is likely, however, that you will receive more personalized, faster, and better informed customer support if you elect a dedicated server. This is because those in the support team do not need to sift through the information regarding all of the users of the server, but with a dedicated server they need only understanding the concerns of the one user.
#5: Cost
One of the biggest concerns of someone shopping for web hosting services will likely be the cost of such services. You will notice that dedicated services will be higher than those of shared services. This is due, of course, to the greater accessibility and range of resources.
Category: Web Hosting
