The Lagoon TechMy little blog in Cyberspace.

Shared Hosting

Shared web-hosting is when you (as the customer) host your website(s) on a web-host’s server with possibly several other people at the same time. It is like a public fitness center. Everyone from all over come and use the fitness center’s services. You do not know who they are, and they do not know who you are. However, you all still come and use the public fitness center.

Quick Note: “AUP” is short for “Acceptable Use Policy”.

1) Disk Space

Several shared hosts give you massive amounts of disk space for your websites. However, you must be careful to read the web host’s AUP since they may prevent you from using all your disk space you are paying for.

Also, it is best to stay away from any web-hosts who claim to give you unlimited disk space. At best, you might get to use a few GB of hard drive space and possibly be limited to how many files you can put onto your web-hosting space. Please remember there is no such thing as an unlimited hard drive, and it still costs those web hosting companies lots of money to buy new ones for their servers.

2) CPU usage

Many shared hosting companies will limit your website(s) CPU usage. If your blog has several plugins that take up a lot of CPU, and you have several web visitors, you may find your account suspended for heavy CPU usage. Not a good thing if this is your company website.

3) Memory usage

Many shared hosting companies will limit your website(s) memory usage as well. If you decide to import your company’s 1,000 products into your online web store, you may find out that you cannot complete this task, since you ran out of allowed memory from the web host. Not a good thing for your company’s website.

4) Bandwidth

Many shared hosting companies will give you plenty of bandwidth for your website(s). This should not be a worry to you, unless you have large files and/or many website visitors.

It is also a good idea to stay away from any web-hosts who claim to give you unlimited bandwidth. If you use an excessive amount of bandwidth on a “unlimited bandwidth” web-host, there is a good chance your account will get suspended for “abuse”.

5) Security

On shared web-hosts, there will be several people hosting their website(s) on the same server as yours. Not all these people have good intentions. Some may even be on there just for the sake of hacking into other people’s websites.

While the shared web-host should have safe guards in-place to prevent one customer from viewing another customer’s files, this may not always be the case. If you are running a company website (especially an online e-commerce store), hosting the website on a shared web-hosting account is probably not a good idea.

6) Price

Usually shared web-hosts are not very pricey, but that is not always the case. You might even find one for $1.99 per month. Remember that the cheaper the web-host is, usually the cheaper the service is as well.

VPS Hosting

VPS web-hosting is when you (as the customer) host your website(s) on a virtual web-server on one of the web-host’s servers. The advantage to this is that you have much more control. You get your own hard drive space, memory, and control over what services to put on your web-server (as long as the web services do not go against the web-host’s AUP).

1) Disk Space

While you will not get as much disk space (as compared to shared web-hosting) without costing you a lot of money, you still can get a decent amount of hard drive space, at a not-too-high of cost.

2) CPU usage

Many VPS companies should give you some guaranteed CPU power. If your blog has several plugins that take up a lot of CPU, and you have several web visitors, the VPS host might temporarily increase your CPU power. However, always read the web-host’s AUP to see how they handle this issue.

3) Memory usage

Many VPS companies should give you some guaranteed RAM. If you decide to import your company’s 1,000 products into your online web store, and you use up all your guaranteed RAM, the VPS host might temporarily give you more RAM to complete the task. However, always read the web-host’s AUP to see how they handle this issue.

4) Bandwidth

Many VPS companies will give you plenty of bandwidth for your website(s). This should not be a worry to you, unless you have large files and/or many website visitors.

5) Security

On VPS, all virtual servers should be sand-boxed from each other (keep one VPS customer from prying into another VPS customer’s files and whatnot). If the VPS host does not sandbox the VPS accounts, do not use the VPS host. Find another one.

6) Price

VPS services are usually pricey. However, you might find one for $19.99 per month (or less). Remember that the cheaper the VPS host is, usually the cheaper the service is as well.