Choosing a hosting type for your site can be difficult. This is because there is a variety of hosting services, each designed to support different sites. Therefore, selecting a hosting type requires that you understand the hosting needs of your website. You also need to understand how each hosting type functions.
We can’t tell you what your site needs, but we can tell you about the different hosting types. The two most popular hosting types are shared hosting and VPS hosting. Shared hosting involves hosting your website on a server that’s shared by several other sites. All these sites use the resources of a single server. VPS hosting also consists of sharing a server with other sites, but each site’s resources are separated from each other. What this means is that each site is hosted in a virtual environment. So while all these sites are on the same server, they each have their own resources. With VPS hosting, you also can choose to use fully managed VPS hosting or unmanaged VPS hosting. Managed VPS hosting means that all the server related responsibilities such as maintenance, core updates, software installation, etc., is taken care of by the server provider. Unmanaged VPS hosting, by contrast, requires that you take full responsibility for maintaining and servicing your VPS.
Of these three hosting options we have outlined, managed VPS is the most expensive. Therefore, the question becomes, do you require the most expensive hosting option? Let’s look at the three hosting types in more detail to determine which one is right for you.
Shared Hosting vs. VPS Hosting
Shared hosting is the least expensive option when it comes to hosting. This is because you don’t get your own server resources. Instead, you share resources with other sites on the server, so the cost is mitigated. You can think of it sort of like an apartment complex. Each person has their own space to live, but amenities like the laundry room are shared. However, this also means that your site can be affected by the traffic of other sites. It’s like if several people in your apartment building take up all the laundry machines. You have no room to do your laundry, and you suffer. The same goes for your site. If other sites on your shared server are using all the bandwidth, your site will suffer.
After shared hosting, unmanaged VPS hosting is the next most economical option. With VPS hosting, you share a physical server, but you are allotted your own resources. As a result, your site won’t be affected by the resource use of other sites. It’s like if you owned a condo, you would have your own laundry room, but you’d be sharing the physical building space with the other condo owners. However, nothing they do would affect your ability to wash your clothes.
Shared hosting is best for small businesses with a small budget. However, if you have a little more money, regardless of your business’s size, you should go with VPS. VPS hosting guarantees that your site’s performance won’t be negatively affected by other sites’ actions.
Unmanaged VPS Hosting
Unmanaged hosting requires technical knowledge or in-house assets to manage the server, the operating system, and other server-related resources. That being said, if you’re just establishing your business, you may not want to choose this option even if you have the ability. This is because server maintenance takes time away from other aspects of your business, such as marketing. As a new business, you may not be able to afford to spend the time necessary to maintain your server.
Managed VPS Hosting
This hosting option is the most expensive. It costs extra to have your VPS managed by the web host provider. However, it takes away the headaches related to server maintenance allowing you to spend time growing your business. Furthermore, managing a server requires a good deal of technical expertise. You do not want to be messing around with your server unless you know what you’re doing. VPS hosting involves not only hosting your site on the internet, but it also encompasses things like site security. Therefore if you don’t have the right credentials, you don’t want to risk your site’s security by doing things yourself, so managed VPS hosting is your best option.
Conclusion
You need managed VPS hosting for your site if:
- You don’t have the technical knowledge required to maintain the server, perform core updates, and install the software.
- You are a new business and don’t have the time or resources to manage the server yourself.
- You have the budget and can afford it.
