What is shared hosting? Just as with any type of sharing, it is when your website shares a physical server with hundreds or thousands of others. With this type of hosting, you will be able to save money because the host will not charge you for the resources that you use. However, you won’t be able to have your own IP address and you won’t be able to control the security features on your server. You will share a portion of a server with other websites.
How does this work? Let’s say you have a business that has several websites and each of their websites uses different programs. When you purchase a hosting plan for each of these sites, you are actually purchasing the rights to use a portion of a server. The host will provide the software and the Internet connection for your websites so you do not need to install anything yourself. Each website will have its own IP address based on the information that the hosting company includes in the server’s control panel.
But how much space does each website get? This depends on the amount of traffic to your site. A large website will receive a larger portion of the server than a small website will. If you don’t have a lot of traffic to your site, then you probably won’t use up all of the space that you would if you had your own server. You will have to make some assumptions about how much space you will need based on the traffic levels to your website.
Is the server, managed or maintained by the website owner? Many hosts offer managed or dedicated servers. With a managed server, the web host is responsible for the management of the server, but they will typically assign resources such as RAM and storage to your website. With dedicated hosting, you will have complete control over your server and can choose what types of programs you want to run on it.
What is limited disk space offered with shared hosting? There may not be enough space to accommodate all of your files. Files can become fragmented if they are downloaded from the server and this can slow down your web page download speed. Additionally, most shared servers do not offer any type of backup program. This means that if you lose your data, you may be unable to find another host that can serve your request.
Can I customize my shared hosting plan? You cannot. Most shared hosting plans are set up like they are, and do not allow you to customize anything. If you need to add more servers or customize your website, then you will have to purchase a hosting plan with a customized price.
Is there support provided for my shared server? If there is a problem that affects your website, then there should be a way for you to troubleshoot it. Shared hosting does not provide dedicated server support so if you have a problem then you are on your own. Support may be available through your web host but most likely it will be limited. However, many hosts offer remote server support for a small fee which can help if you encounter a technical difficulty.
What is the price of a shared hosting plan? Most shared hosting plans start at around $2 per month. There are also companies that offer packages starting at several hundred dollars. It really depends on the features that you are looking for in a host as to how much you will pay for your hosting service.
