August 10, 2022 by Stonewave team
If we want to explain the question “what is web hosting?”, we simply need to explain “where does my website live?”.
People often ask us why are the paying for their website’s hosting. The main reason is that in order for a website to work, it needs a place where it can reside.
Every website is comprised from a number of data (files, photos, data bases etc) that is “uploaded” to a file so that its accessible to the users of the web. This file is located on a server that is active and with internet access all day long.
When users visit a website, the server locates the files that correspond to the specific website and provides them with the respective content. When we say that “the server is down”, it means that it is unable to provide the aforementioned files, thus rendering it inaccessible to its users.
What determines each website’s hosting? Its respective requirements.
Every website has different hosting requirements. The basic hosting packages are presented below:
Shared hosting packages are ideal for small websites with low traffic and minimal server resource requirements in order for them to operate properly. In this hosting package, multiple websites run on the same server simultaneously. Its advantage is that it is cheaper than other hosting packages. Its disadvantage is that since you are sharing resources with other websites, if these resources are exhausted, all the websites that are hosted on this server will no longer be live.
On VPS servers (Virtual Private Server) the website runs on virtual machines which means that they run as dedicated servers, even if they are not. In other words, a VPS server is split into several other virtual servers, and it is shared by multiple websites. In this type of server you update specific parts as your website grows and its traffic increases, thus leading to additional operating costs.
Dedicated servers offer greater security, increased speed and performance as well as tools and characteristics that are not available in other web hosting packages. They are mostly used for eshops, websites with increased traffic volume and generally anything that requires extensive resources. You do not share dedicated servers with other customers, but you can host multiple websites that you own on it since it is exclusively yours. The cost is quite high, but the increased security levels that it offers are worth it.
In any case, the choice is yours and it must be made according to your needs. That is why it is best to consult with an experienced company that can steer you towards the right direction (our number is 2310 221 500!).
