Shared Hosting
A shared hosting refers to a dedicated server that is shared over a large number of clients. The resources of the server are shared by large number of clients. This makes it economical in terms of costing.
Illustration with an Example:
We all travel. Don’t we?
Shared hosting can be compared to a public Bus. Traveling in a bus instead of a private vehicle can be more economical as well as more environment friendly. But the bus might have more halts thereby increasing the time of travel, and might even get crowded at times.
Pros: Economical, Easy to setup, Multiple accounts can be created.
Cons: Limited resources, Limited flexibility, Cannot use own customized software’s.
Reseller Hosting
Reseller hosting is also a type of Shared hosting in which one can resell hosting under this own banner. The reseller package is mostly availed by IT experts who would like to make money by reselling web hosting plans. He can assign resources to his clients out of his total resource package. He also provides technical and after sales support to his own clients. The reseller pays the hosting company only the cost of the reseller plan. Whatever profit he makes above the cost of the plan is his to keep.
Illustration with an Example:
For all those who love shopping,
Shopkeepers / Retail outlets can be compared to Reseller Hosting. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from wholesalers or manufacturers, thus availing bulk discount. Then he sells the goods to customers in small quantities thereby earning a profit out of it.
Pros: Cheaper compared to VPS and Dedicated, No need of server maintenance, Sell hosting under your own brand, more control as compared to Shared Hosting.
Cons: The customer of the reseller cannot contact the hosting company directly. They need to contact the reseller who in turn will have to contact the hosting company.
VPS Hosting
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting is a type of web hosting in which a dedicated server is split over a number of Virtual Servers. Each user has fixed allocation of resources like CPU, RAM, HDD, etc. VPS are normally an ideal choice for customers who would like to have dedicated resources for themselves but cannot afford a dedicated server.
Illustration with an Example:
This example is for all the foodies out there. VPS can be compared to a large slice of cake. It is a part of cake and contains the same ingredients and flavor. The slice can be enjoyed by an individual and that too at a much lesser cost compared to the full cake.
Pros: Can be customized, Can be upgraded quickly and at a low cost, Root access.
Cons: Expensive compared to shared hosting,
Dedicated Server
A dedicated server is used and managed by a single client. He has complete root access to all the resources of the server. It is best suited for large companies, banks, ecommerce, businesses, government organizations, etc.
Illustration with an Example:
A dedicated server can be compared to a private jet. The jet can be used to travel to any location as per your convenience. The only flaw would be the high costs.
Pros: Total control of the server and its resources.
Cons: Costlier as compared to other hosting types, Need to have knowledge to manage a Dedicated Server.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is the latest type of hosting that has become very popular in the last couple of years. Cloud Hosting is a virtual network created over a large group of dedicated servers. The basic concept of cloud is to pay-per-use. The resources in Cloud Hosting are normally auto-scalable making it an ideal choice for anyone and nearly everyone. It is like a boon for seasonal websites.
Illustration with an Example:
Everyone uses electricity. Our electricity usage can vary on day to day basis. On a particular day we might use few units of electricity, while on some specific days like weekends or special occasions our electricity usage may double or even triple. Suppose we have to buy electric units in advance every month, it will be pointless buying higher limits of electricity just because it might be required on weekends.
Here the concept of Auto-scalability comes into play. We have the option to use as many units of electricity as we require and pay for it at the end of the month. Same is with cloud hosting. The user pays only for the resources he uses.
Pros: Auto scalable resources, Economical, Pay-per-use, Quick Deployment.
Cons: Privacy might be a concern as all the data of a cloud is stored on a SAN.
Conclusion:
There is no one single solution that matches the hosting requirements for everyone. Each one needs to select the hosting package that best suits his/her requirement. The best webhosting package would be the one which fits the budget as well as provides optimum results.
I tried my best to explain you the types of web hosting with simple examples from our day to day lives. Suggestions and Comments would be most welcome.
A shared hosting refers to a dedicated server that is shared over a large number of clients. The resources of the server are shared by large number of clients. This makes it economical in terms of costing.
Illustration with an Example:
We all travel. Don’t we?
Shared hosting can be compared to a public Bus. Traveling in a bus instead of a private vehicle can be more economical as well as more environment friendly. But the bus might have more halts thereby increasing the time of travel, and might even get crowded at times.
Pros: Economical, Easy to setup, Multiple accounts can be created.
Cons: Limited resources, Limited flexibility, Cannot use own customized software’s.
Reseller Hosting
Reseller hosting is also a type of Shared hosting in which one can resell hosting under this own banner. The reseller package is mostly availed by IT experts who would like to make money by reselling web hosting plans. He can assign resources to his clients out of his total resource package. He also provides technical and after sales support to his own clients. The reseller pays the hosting company only the cost of the reseller plan. Whatever profit he makes above the cost of the plan is his to keep.
Illustration with an Example:
For all those who love shopping,
Shopkeepers / Retail outlets can be compared to Reseller Hosting. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from wholesalers or manufacturers, thus availing bulk discount. Then he sells the goods to customers in small quantities thereby earning a profit out of it.
Pros: Cheaper compared to VPS and Dedicated, No need of server maintenance, Sell hosting under your own brand, more control as compared to Shared Hosting.
Cons: The customer of the reseller cannot contact the hosting company directly. They need to contact the reseller who in turn will have to contact the hosting company.
VPS Hosting
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting is a type of web hosting in which a dedicated server is split over a number of Virtual Servers. Each user has fixed allocation of resources like CPU, RAM, HDD, etc. VPS are normally an ideal choice for customers who would like to have dedicated resources for themselves but cannot afford a dedicated server.
Illustration with an Example:
This example is for all the foodies out there. VPS can be compared to a large slice of cake. It is a part of cake and contains the same ingredients and flavor. The slice can be enjoyed by an individual and that too at a much lesser cost compared to the full cake.
Pros: Can be customized, Can be upgraded quickly and at a low cost, Root access.
Cons: Expensive compared to shared hosting,
Dedicated Server
A dedicated server is used and managed by a single client. He has complete root access to all the resources of the server. It is best suited for large companies, banks, ecommerce, businesses, government organizations, etc.
Illustration with an Example:
A dedicated server can be compared to a private jet. The jet can be used to travel to any location as per your convenience. The only flaw would be the high costs.
Pros: Total control of the server and its resources.
Cons: Costlier as compared to other hosting types, Need to have knowledge to manage a Dedicated Server.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is the latest type of hosting that has become very popular in the last couple of years. Cloud Hosting is a virtual network created over a large group of dedicated servers. The basic concept of cloud is to pay-per-use. The resources in Cloud Hosting are normally auto-scalable making it an ideal choice for anyone and nearly everyone. It is like a boon for seasonal websites.
Illustration with an Example:
Everyone uses electricity. Our electricity usage can vary on day to day basis. On a particular day we might use few units of electricity, while on some specific days like weekends or special occasions our electricity usage may double or even triple. Suppose we have to buy electric units in advance every month, it will be pointless buying higher limits of electricity just because it might be required on weekends.
Here the concept of Auto-scalability comes into play. We have the option to use as many units of electricity as we require and pay for it at the end of the month. Same is with cloud hosting. The user pays only for the resources he uses.
Pros: Auto scalable resources, Economical, Pay-per-use, Quick Deployment.
Cons: Privacy might be a concern as all the data of a cloud is stored on a SAN.
Conclusion:
There is no one single solution that matches the hosting requirements for everyone. Each one needs to select the hosting package that best suits his/her requirement. The best webhosting package would be the one which fits the budget as well as provides optimum results.
I tried my best to explain you the types of web hosting with simple examples from our day to day lives. Suggestions and Comments would be most welcome.
Rock
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