Shared hosting and dedicated hosting represent opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to cost and capabilities. Dedicated hosting is a type of hosting configuration in which a single server is devoted to a single organisation/website, much like a bungalow! In shared hosting, a server acts as a host to multiple clients just as a condominium houses several house owners.
But does every business need all the extra frills provided by dedicating hosting? The answer is no.
However, the following circumstances call for it:
- A rapidly growing business with many products or services being added and high traffic
- A website featuring a large number of high – resolution photos and video streaming
- A website that requires a unique IP address
- A business that handles very sensitive transactions, thereby requiring enhanced security features
The advantages of dedicated hosting over shared hosting include:
Reliability
Dedicated hosting provides unlimited bandwidth as the entire server is dedicated to your requirements, unlike shared hosts which cater to hundreds of website on a single server.
Performance
With dedicated hosting, you are free to determine the performance level — from the server you chose to the way in which you manage it. With shared hosting, performance cannot be customized at the machine level.
Uptime
Dedicated servers allow for high performance and stability. This, in turn, ensures that websites and other business functions are operational virtually 100% of the time (usually upwards of 99.4%).
Ability to Customize
When you choose dedicated server hosting, you can manage the configuration of the server. The fact that the server is dedicated to one user means that the server (and overall hosting solution) can be tailored to the specific needs of that client.
Security
Dedicated hosting provides an unparallel level of security when compared to shared hosting. This is because you and your web host are the only people with access to your server.
Unique IP Address
Dedicated hosting also provides the benefit of the unique IP address. In a shared hosting plan, you could be sharing the same IP with malicious, abusive or even criminal websites.
Scalability
Dedicated hosting provides supreme scalability in terms of software packages, incoming and outgoing bandwidth usage, disk storage needs, database growth, and processing power. Typically, scalability of a shared hosting account is, at best, limited to assets such as disk storage space and database size.
Undoubtedly, shared server hosting is cheaper than dedicated hosting. However, if you plan to launch an eCommerce website which will draw significant traffic to your website, a dedicated server is a must.
Do write back and let us know your choice for hosting. Look forward to seeing your comments below.
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