Dedicated Hosting Vs. Shared Hosting: Which Option Should You Go For?
If you’re looking to establish an online presence, you might have come across both the dedicated and shared hosting as a web hosting solution. If you’re looking to spend as little as possible, dedicated hosting might not be the right option for you. It is important that you know the difference between the two options before making the decision.
The Biggest Difference Between Shared Hosting and Dedicated Hosting?
With a dedicated server, it will only be your website that is on the server. With shared hosting, you will be sharing the server with other websites. There is a limit on the amount of bandwidth and space that you can use. You will be charged extra if you exceed the usage of the allocated resources. There is also the possibility that your account can be suspended without notice. If your business is growing, it will be time to start shopping for dedicated hosting.
The Differences Between Dedicated Hosting and Shared Hosting
In order to make an informed decision on the right choice, it is imperative to understand the differences between the two options and we’re going to highlight some of them.
Technical Skills: With shared hosting, you might need to have technical networking skills since the customization is done by the hosting company. Administration and maintenance will be handled by the company and there is little that is expected from your end. Dedicated hosting is a different ball game altogether. You will be given a bare server that has all the specifications required and it will be up to you to do the customization. That means you will have to look for someone with server administration skills to set up the server to your liking. You’re also expected to do the maintenance and you might have to look for an expert if you’re looking to do additional modifications to address the changing needs of the business.
Security: The hosting company will be responsible for installing a firewall and antivirus on your behalf. In case of malicious files with your hosting files, you will be required to get in contact with the technical support of the hosting company. You might be charged extra to get rid of the viruses in your hosting files. For dedicated hosting, securing the server will be your responsibility. You’re required to do the setup of the firewall and antivirus on your own. You can add an extra layer of security provided you’re working with someone who is experienced with server configuration and security. Since it is only your business that will be using the server, there are fewer chances of getting viruses or backdoor access. That is why you should opt for dedicated hosting if you’re looking to improve security for your business.
Costs : Shared hosting tends to be cheaper since the server resources will be shared by a couple of users. The operating costs will be divided among the users. This makes shared hosting to be affordable. It is usually recommended if you’re just starting out and you don’t require a lot of resources. Dedicated servers are more expensive since they’ll be dedicated to a single user. For a business that is growing and is looking for customization, going the dedicated server route makes more sense. There is operational flexibility which isn’t possible with shared hosting. You can install special software which is meant to meet your needs.
Performance: You will never experience any performance issues when you’re on a reliable dedicated hosting. This is because you’re not sharing the resources with anyone. There is speed and the hosting can handle spikes in traffic because the bandwidth is more than enough. With shared hosting, you might start experiencing downtime whenever there is an increase in traffic. This is because the hosting is not robust enough and you will have to upgrade in order to accommodate the increased use of resources. This is not always recommended for a business that is serious about growth. Instead of upgrading the hosting package, you should consider migrating to dedicated hosting for better performance and reliability.
Level of Control: There is not a lot you can do in terms of control with shared hosting because everything comes pre-installed. You can’t divide the disk space or add software to improve the functioning of the control panel. With dedicated hosting, you can even choose where you’d like the servers to be. You can opt for ServerMania Dedicated Servers from New York if the majority of your visitors are from North America. You can also decide to incorporate programs that help with the efficiency of the business.
