| Many site owners believe that the next logical step | | | | not be accessible to Internet surfers, make sure that |
| after outgrowing a shared hosting solution is to | | | | you select a hosting company that does not allow |
| invest in their own dedicated server. This is a possible | | | | non-public directories to be accessed. |
| solution, and is necessary for many particularly large | | | | Dedicated Hosting |
| or complex sites. However, for small to medium size | | | | When you use dedicated web hosting, you are the |
| websites, a virtual web hosting solution may prove to | | | | only site on your dedicated server. Dedicated hosting |
| be the ideal solution. | | | | is necessary for large or particularly complex |
| Virtual Hosting | | | | websites. Websites that need a lot of bandwidth to |
| Less expensive than a dedicated server, virtual | | | | function effectively are good candidates for |
| hosting is an excellent and relatively inexpensive | | | | dedicated web hosting. |
| solution for those who own websites that are too | | | | Other sites that need the benefits of dedicated |
| large for a shared hosting solution, but don't really | | | | hosting include many e-commerce websites, those |
| need their own dedicated server. It is fine to have a | | | | with very high site visitors, and those for which |
| smaller site on its own dedicated server, but it is | | | | security issues are an overriding concern. There are |
| expensive to do so. Virtual web hosting provides | | | | many benefits associated with dedicated hosting, |
| more flexibility than shared web hosting, and provides | | | | with the only real drawback being the cost. |
| many of the advantages associated with a dedicated | | | | The size and complexity of your website may |
| server without the expense. | | | | dictate that dedicated web hosting is the only viable |
| The expense associated with owning and operating a | | | | option for your site. If you own a smaller site, it is a |
| dedicated server can be several hundred dollars each | | | | good idea to look at the benefits associated with |
| month. Virtual hosting solutions, on the other hand, | | | | dedicated hosting and compare them to the cost |
| tend to cost between $35 to $100 per month, | | | | savings you will realize from going with a virtual web |
| depending on the resources needed by your | | | | hosting option. Such a comparison will enable you to |
| particular site. Pricing for virtual hosting is a function | | | | make a sound decision. If you decide that dedicated |
| of the amount of disk space required to adequately | | | | hosting is the best solution for you, the next step will |
| host your site, the quantity of bandwidth allocated to | | | | be to decide if you need managed web hosting or |
| you, and the number of domain names provided to | | | | unmanaged web hosting. |
| you as part of your agreement. | | | | If you have a full staff of expert technical support |
| With virtual hosting, you will subscribe to the services | | | | professionals, unmanaged hosting may be your best |
| of a web hosting company. The hosting company | | | | option. Unmanaged hosting less expensive than |
| likely owns several dedicated servers, and they lease | | | | managed hosting, but the savings are real only if you |
| space on their servers to owners small and medium | | | | have someone on staff to handle the technical |
| sized websites that do not need the full capacity of | | | | support requirements of the site. Managed web |
| their own server. When you use a virtual hosting | | | | hosting solutions offer varying degrees of technical |
| solution, your site will be placed on a server alongside | | | | support services. With managed hosting, the web |
| other small to medium sized website with similar | | | | hosting company's technical support staff takes care |
| server resource requirements. | | | | of the routing maintenance and technical updates |
| Security is an overriding concern when it comes to | | | | associated with keeping your site up and running. |
| selecting a web hosting provider. Of course, there is | | | | When you select a dedicated hosting solution, you |
| no completely foolproof security system, and even | | | | are not sharing space with other tenants. Your site |
| the most secure site can experience security | | | | enjoys all of the bandwidth and processing speed |
| breeches that can put your site at risk. Being | | | | capabilities of your web server. Websites housed on |
| exposed to potential virus and hacker attacks is, | | | | dedicated servers typically run faster than those that |
| unfortunately, an inherent aspect of doing business | | | | operated on shared or virtual servers, although with |
| on the Internet. | | | | smaller sites the speed improvement is not likely to |
| With that said, it is vital to verify that the web | | | | be very noticeable. |
| hosting company you select does have a solid | | | | With a dedicated server, you have more freedom in |
| security system in place and that the company is | | | | managing your website. With a dedicated server, |
| committed to ongoing mitigation of risk when it | | | | there is no limit to the number of domain names you |
| comes to security. Another important consideration | | | | may operate. This is a great benefit for those who |
| when selecting a virtual web hosting solution is to | | | | own or operate multiple websites, as they will be able |
| verify that there is sufficient bandwidth for both | | | | to host all of their sites on the same dedicated |
| your site and the others located on the shared | | | | server. You are also free to customize the server for |
| server. | | | | your specific needs. |
| The last thing you need is for your customers and | | | | The server settings can be customized to meet the |
| prospective customers to experience delays with | | | | specific needs of your site, which will optimize your |
| pages loaded on your site because the other tenants | | | | site's performance. There are also security benefits |
| on your virtual server are using all of the bandwidth. | | | | associated with using a dedicated server. Because |
| It is also important to find out whether or not the | | | | dedicated servers can only be accessed by the |
| virtual host allows non-public directories to be | | | | owner of the site and the web hosting company, |
| accessed. If your site holds sensitive data that should | | | | there is less risk of security breaches. |