What is web hosting?
Web hosting is a service that allows businesses to post a website on the online platform. A web hosting company is an exceptional business that offers the needed technologies to view that web page or website on the internet. The websites are stored or hosted on individual computers, known as servers. Now when an internet user wants to visit a specific website, he enters that website domain or addresses it into their browser. Their computer then connects to the server, and the webpage will be visible to them through the browser. Most of the website hosting service providers require to have a domain name in order to host a website. You can take the assistance of web hosting service providers to purchase a domain name for a website.
Some of the most essential tips for choosing the appropriate hosting company are:
- Know what kind of web host you need
- Select the right hosting package
- Be aware of web host upgrading options
- Go through the web hosting reviews of different service providers
- Get the correct amount of bandwidth
- Do not get stuck on price
- Read the terms & conditions page thoroughly
- 24/7 customer support
- Have a robust backup plan in place
- Inquire about the security features in advance
- Go for an experienced web hosting service provider
Different types of web hosting services
There are different types of website hosting services available. Typically, the categorization can be in the following manner:
Shared Hosting:
This is the cheapest form of website hosting. In this, multiple websites are hosted on the same server. Thus, it falls incredibly economical in terms of hardware. Each website is given a specific amount of storage space along with a particular amount of resources. This is usually the most preferred option for bloggers and hobbyists.
VPS Hosting:
VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. This setup is more like a shared hosting setup but on steroids. In this case, very powerful hardware and multiple websites are stored on the same physical hardware. Each website uses a virtualization software that enables them to operate independently of each other, as though they were dedicated mini servers.
Dedicated Hosting:
As the name suggests, this hosting allocates an independent server to every website. This is a good option for professionals who want adequate storage space and resources. Unlike VPS and shared hosting, where the user does not need to share resources and storage space with other people, they have a solid piece of hardware all to themselves.
Cloud Hosting:
This is, by far, the most popular and effective option. In cloud hosting, the users can use large banks of servers, which are all interlinked to one another. In other words, the users can quickly get access to more resources and storage space, if the demand rises. Cloud hosting is the most convenient option if looking for 100% uptime and do not care about how much you need to pay for it.
Cost of web hosting services
The price of web hosting depends upon different factors such as the type of hosting, web hosting plan, the service provider, etc. Below is an approximate cost of different web hosting services offered by reputed companies.