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Shared web hosting
With shared hosting, multiple websites are hosted on the same physical server.
Advantages
Shared web hosting is popular among small business owners as it is the cheapest of all paid hosting services.
The web host provides technical assistance to the website owners in the form of system administration.
Disadvantages
The major disadvantage with shared hosting is limited resources as multiple websites share the same server.
A single website overusing the resources can affect all the websites hosted on that particular server. This may result in slow loading of web pages and repeated downtime.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting
With VPS hosting, multiple clients share the same server; however, unlike in shared-hosting, the main server is split into smaller virtual servers.
Advantages
VPS hosting is cost-effective and is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
You will have more control over your server (compared to shared hosting) - you can use specialty functions like running scripts for your website, including new programs into your system, etc.
Disadvantages
Though it is actually a separate server, there are multiple sites hosted on the same physical server. If one of the websites consumes a lot of CPU or RAM resources, it can impact the entire server and therefore your virtual server too.
Dedicated hosting
With dedicated web hosting, one server operates for a single client exclusively. As the whole server is used for a single user, it'll provide bandwidth and a memory large enough to accommodate large amounts of traffic.
Advantages
It is good for websites having large traffic like e-commerce sites. Such sites require large storage space, bandwidth and secure servers.
Disadvantages
It's expensive.
You need to have the requisite skills and competence in technology (monitoring, upgrading and constructing) so that you can fix technical issues when they come up. The web host may not provide these services without charging an additional fee.
Reseller web hosting
A reseller is a business that purchases server space and sells it to other users. A reseller is an intermediary between end users and the web host. Entities offering this services include entrepreneurs, marketers, web designers, etc.
Advantages
The biggest advantage of this kind of service is its price as resellers offer hosting services at cheaper rates.
Disadvantages
End users may not get good service when technical issues arise because resellers are not expected to have the expertise that the main web host may have.
Cloud hosting service
Cloud hosting involves hosting by a series of network servers that transfer your data through them simultaneously.
Advantages
There is almost no limit for the data storage.
The resources for cloud hosting are shared across multiple servers. This ensures uptime even if one of the physical servers fails.
Disadvantages
Though cloud servers are in the market for many years, they still are not consistent in terms of uptime. As everything is centralized, you will be left with very few options in diagnosing a downtime of the cloud.
Cloud hosts are not reliable as spammers can attack and steal sensitive data.
The cloud hosting service is charged based on the usage, so if a spam attack happens on the site and you are not monitoring, you may end up paying a hefty bill for the hosting service.
Colocated web hosting
With this, the servers are housed at designated locations, for which resources like housing, electricity, uninterrupted Internet connection, and security have to be provided. The responsibility of backing up, storing data, and the server software all rest with the website owner. Therefore, you need to have money, adequate competence and expertise in the area, otherwise it's likely not worth it.
Advantages
It is suitable for businesses looking for large bandwidth, large storage space and for those who can manage hosting issues independently.
Disadvantages
Involves heavy costs - paying rent, equipment, etc. - and is not affordable for most small businesses.
Free web hosting
With this, you get the service without being charged a price and is ideal for startups with very low budget.
Advantages
It's free.
You get a certain amount of free space on the webserver and a subdomain name. This will help you have an online presence without spending much.
Disadvantages
The advantage of being costless is overshadowed by disadvantages - the service provider will post ads on your site, which may make the site look unprofessional.
No customer support is available in case of any technical issues.
There may also be security issues.
Now having clarity on the kinds of web hosting available, you should opt for one based on your business' needs.
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