The server is the actual physical computer that stores your website and all its pages. The type of server you need will be determined by the size of your site, the amount of visitors it attracts, and the speed with which it works. Here’s a rundown of the different server options available.
Shared
This is the lower priced server option, and probably the most suitable for smaller sites. Your site will share a server with several other completely different sites. Each site hosted on the server will have its own storage space and web address. For shared hosting, the provider is generally responsible for the maintenance and management of the server, including its security.
Dedicated
If your website really takes off, expanding into a fully fledged e-commerce venture attracting thousands of visitors a day, a shared environment server will no longer be suitable. When this happens it’s time to start thinking about moving it onto a single (or dedicated) server.
This isn’t cheap. To host the site on your premises you need to buy the server, hire a leased line as well as having the technical staff to set it up and maintain it. However, hosting it yourself you can save time and money in the long run and also lets you add more websites onto your server for no extra charge.
To do this you will need a very high-speed internet connection, your own server and staff with the right level of technical expertise to maintain it.
If you decide to host your own website in-house you have complete control over the site. You will choose what hardware and software is used and how often it is upgraded.
However, the cost of purchasing your own web server hardware, software and suitable internet connectivity is high. This option is not recommended unless you have a specialist IT department to maintain the server on a 24-hour basis.
Alternatively, you can hire a dedicated server from a web hosting company. This means they will keep your website on a single server and also deal with the connectivity, security and maintenance.
Co-location
This is where you buy a server, but your internet service provider (ISP) hosts it for you in their premises. The ISP will then provide the internet connection and the backup services. However, you will have to maintain the server and all its software. This is generally used only by large companies as it involves a great deal of technical expertise.
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