With millions of ecommerce websites on the Internet and the rapid growth of e-shopping, running an online business has become the gold rush of today’s world. Consequently, the role of web hosting is more important than ever if you are looking to succeed in the long term.
Traditional hosting is no longer a wise option if you want your business to flourish and stay ahead of the game.
Let’s discuss what falls into the category of “traditional hosting” and better alternatives to run an online project.
What Is Traditional Hosting?
Traditional hosting refers to the act of accommodating your website on physical servers. There are two major types of such services: shared solutions and dedicated servers.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is the most basic type of web hosting. It’s popular among entry-level webmasters, casual bloggers, and startup businesses with light to average traffic.
In shared hosting, a single server hosts multiple websites, and hundreds of users split its cost and resources such as disk space, RAM, CPU, and monthly bandwidth. Accordingly, shared hosting has the cheapest price rates.
Dedicated Server Hosting
On the other end of the spectrum, dedicated server hosting is like renting an apartment for yourself. You get an entire server with its resources from the hosting company’s data center without sharing it with other “roommates.”
With a dedicated machine, you get full root access to control all settings and configurations. You also have the freedom to install your preferred operating system, software applications, and security tools.
Some hosting companies offer unmanaged dedicated servers only. At the same time, most of them provide managed options where you get an expert to resolve any software or hardware problems at an additional cost.
Dedicated servers are used by large organizations and websites that draw high traffic.
Why Traditional Hosting Is Bad for Online Business
As an owner of a growing online business with a vision to make a profit, the last thing you want is to have low conversion rates and waste a ton of money on managing and maintaining your website.
That’s why it’s crucial to understand how traditional hosting can ruin your business before you decide on a web host.
Disadvantages of Shared Hosting
Although it’s fairly cost-effective, shared hosting isn’t recommended for online businesses. Here’s why:
- Server overload: Crowding one server with multiple websites leads to slow speeds and frequent downtimes. Your customers won’t wait if your website takes too long to load and won’t visit it again if it’s frequently offline.
- Unfair resource consumption: Having to share server resources with other users will negatively impact your overall consumption and website performance. If one or more neighbors get a spike in traffic, they’ll drain more CPU and RAM, resulting in slower speeds for other websites on the same server.
- Security issues: Shared hosting is more vulnerable to cyberattacks than any other type of hosting. You may take all the necessary security precautions to protect your website from malicious threats, but you can’t be sure your server neighbors will do the same. If a single account is compromised - that will expose other sites as well.
- No room to grow: Shared hosting plans could be suitable for a personal website or a young business but won’t be that useful when your online project starts to expand. In addition, the limited server access means you cannot really do much customization, even if you need it.
Disadvantages of Dedicated Servers
It’s true that dedicated server hosting offers ultimate performance, server customization options, privacy, and security. Nevertheless, it’s not a fit-all service for the following reasons:
- Cost: One of the most significant drawbacks of a dedicated server is its high monthly rates. Going for a managed service is even more expensive, and not every business owner can afford it.
- Maintenance: Dedicated servers require constant maintenance. This will take up a lot of your time and will add up to the cost, regardless of whether you do it yourself or hire a professional for the job.
- Technical skills: Unless you opt for a managed dedicated server, any unmanaged solution requires heavy technical and network knowledge such as DNS mechanisms, IP routing, and registers.
Traditional Hosting Alternatives
On a brighter note, there are excellent alternatives to traditional hosting for online businesses.
VPS Hosting
Although a virtual private server (VPS) utilizes physical machines, its technology makes it more powerful and scalable than your average shared hosting deal. Using virtualization, the physical server is split into several instances that house different clients.
With VPS hosting, each user is completely isolated from its neighbors, making this solution much more secure than a standard shared account. The physical server isn’t overcrowded with websites, and every client gets an abundance of resources.
To top it all off, VPS hosting is also more affordable than dedicated server hosting.
Types of VPS Hosting
- Unmanaged VPS: Your web host gives you a choice of VPS OS and basic setup. You will get full root access to customize and configure your VPS server as you wish.
- Managed VPS: Your hosting provider will take care of all the heavy work, from server setup and software installations to server maintenance. The host will also provide you with technical support.
Cloud VPS Hosting
Cloud hosting is the most popular hosting solution for growing online businesses. There are no physical servers involved. This type of hosting is internet-based and offers broad virtual space for companies to expand and utilize depending on their specific business needs.
The cloud architecture offers a high redundancy level as well. Your information is stored in multiple servers in the cloud, reducing data loss accidents. If one server goes down - your website will automatically connect to another one in the network.
Cloud VPS hosting combines the advantages of both VPS hosting and cloud computing. It’s highly flexible, scalable, delivers faster speeds, and guarantees optimal performance.
Final Thoughts
Traditional hosting didn’t go out of style. It’s still a great option if you’re experimenting with a new website or have low requirements for your online project. But, when it comes to online businesses and enterprise sites - you should definitely consider something more powerful and secure.
In comparison, Cloud VPS fits projects of all sizes and won’t hinder your growth strategy. Its flexible and scalable infrastructure allows you to expand your project while only paying for the resources you utilize.
