| Many times those that are relatively new to web | | | | for the webmaster who has 200 web sites and is |
| hosting terminology stumble into some confusion | | | | tired of paying for 200 shared hosting accounts. |
| in their quest for a good web hosting plan. One of | | | | Shared or virtual private server hosting accounts |
| the major sources of this confusion may simply | | | | usually can handle personal or small business sites. |
| come down to what is what where web hosting | | | | A virtual private server in essence is a hybrid of a |
| plans are concerned. | | | | shared web hosting account and a dedicated |
| In this article I will talk about three different types | | | | server. Software on the server is able to break it |
| of web hosting and their differences. These types | | | | down into multiple "virtual" servers. The effect is |
| are shared web hosting, dedicated server hosting | | | | basically like having several servers on the same |
| and virtual private server. They mostly vary | | | | machine. You would be paying for one of these |
| wildly in price and altogether fill different needs as | | | | virtual servers. |
| far as hosting plans are concerned. | | | | Virtual servers allow you the flexibility of |
| Shared web hosting is a term used to refer to | | | | customizing your server settings as if you were |
| when a hosting company puts websites from | | | | renting a dedicated server but since you are |
| many different users on one server. Every user | | | | actually sharing a server with other users you pay |
| is usually given some limit to the amount of | | | | much less. Virtual private server plans are usually |
| resources their site is able to consume. When | | | | priced just a bit higher than shared web hosting. |
| several sites on the same server get busy or a | | | | When you search for hosting do whatever |
| script on one site consumes extra resources the | | | | research you need to do to pick the plan that's |
| server can bog down, slowing your site. | | | | right for you. There are thousands of sites |
| Most shared hosting plans are very cost effective | | | | offering quality information about web hosting that |
| and if you get a good hosting company you may | | | | will help you to fill in any gaps in your knowledge |
| be able to avoid having your site bogged down by | | | | and enable you to make the best possible |
| having too many users on one server. Many | | | | decision. |
| shared plans can be had for under $10 a month | | | | Many hosting plans seem to offer the world on a |
| and come packed with features and possibly even | | | | string for a quarter. That's fine and all but what |
| free domain registrations. | | | | happens when they cram several hundred busy |
| Dedicated server hosting is the most expensive | | | | accounts on one server and your site loads 30kb |
| web hosting of the three. Instead of sharing a | | | | of HTML in 10 minutes on a DSL connection? |
| server with other users you are in effect renting | | | | There may actually be many different hosts that |
| an entire server for yourself. Usually, all of the | | | | can be right for you. Whichever you pick will |
| resources of the server are at your disposal. | | | | come down to your requirements for resources |
| Many times hosting companies give you several | | | | like bandwidth and storage space, your |
| options for the type of server you can rent and | | | | requirements for features like PHP and/or ASP, |
| the operating system it runs. | | | | and your requirements for price and level of |
| Dedicated servers are for either bigger sites or | | | | support. Have fun. |