Web hosting
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Created: Thursday, 17 November 2016 21:58
When a person is seeking a hosting service for their website, what they are essentially doing is leasing a server or space on a server. The server is what processes the code to deliver the content that you view in your internet browser, and process the information you submit through your browser. Not only should your hosting account provide the horsepower and bandwidth necessary to process this data, it must also have the storage necessary to store all of the content to require.
It is hard to give details on all of the various hosting accounts from the numerous providers, but you will definitely get what you pay for when it comes to hosting. Cheaper hosting accounts will allow you to post content, but they may be limited in the programing language you able to use and the amount of storage you have available. In some cases, cheaper hosting packages will also limit the bandwidth to and from your website. Part of this is because your website might reside on a server shared with dozens of other websites, and the resources of that server need to be shared among its users. The amount of resources that are offered to you will change the more you pay.
There is also the option of leasing a server with one of the many hosting companies. This option gives you exclusive rights to this server, and the option to install your choice of operating system. As with most things, spending more will generally give you a more powerful server. This option is generally not for a novice since it requires someone that is proficient in server management and programming. The reason people will choose this option basically comes down to having total control without the administrative costs that come with hosting the server yourself. Unlike shared hosting, this option also eliminates the potential for cross-talk between your website and someone else.
There is also the option of self hosting your website, but this is not advisable to novices. With the other methods, there are some preset configurations of servers for you to choose from. Some hosting companies will do a custom configuration for a fee, but not all companies offer this option. When you host your website yourself, you are responsible for everything from electricity to cooling. You would have to spec out, purchase, and configure all of the servers, switches, and routers. It is also important that you have the power and backup power to keep all of this equipment running, and negotiate with your internet service provider all of the details necessary to provide the level of service you need.
