The "Download" on Web Hosting

Published: December 15 2016

So you’ve put hours and hours of work into making your website look and function just right, now what? If you were to host it there on your computer, it would disappear from the internet every time you switched it off (and we all know websites aren’t much use if they’re not connected to the internet).  

This is where web hosts step in to save the day.

 

What is web hosting?

Not only do web hosts provide you the space on their server for your website and all its precious content, they ensure constant and reliable internet connectivity. So, when someone types in your web address, they are redirected to your host’s server and your site appears.

 

Types of web hosting

As with most things, there are varying grades of quality in web hosts. The most crude form could be a repurposed desktop computer with the most complex being dedicated high-end servers with cloud services (more on that later). Here’s what you need to know about each option before making a decision.

 

• Shared Hosting

The most common form of web hosting is shared, meaning you rent out space on a physical server alongside hundreds or even thousands of other websites. It is the most economical option and a great solution for the majority of medium traffic websites.

 

• Dedicated Hosting

A lot more expensive than shared, dedicated hosting is when you rent an entire server to host your site. If you are a website dealing with extremely high volumes of traffic, like an eBay or Netflix, then this would make sense, but in most instances it is extremely pricey and unnecessary.

 

• Cloud Hosting

Much like shared hosting, you are renting a virtual space, but instead of having a designated amount of space on one server, it spreads over a network of servers according to demand. In most cases it’s too expensive for small businesses, but can be an effective option for large businesses with large peaks in web traffic.

 

What about bandwidth and storage space?

Most providers don’t limit bandwidth unless you are using an excessive amount, which very rarely happens. As for storage space, the code for websites is actually quite small, so the space needed usually comes down to photos and video. The vast majority of websites use less than 1GB of space.

 

What we think

The best choice for almost all Csek Creative clients is shared hosting, and within that it comes down to speed and support. We host no more than a few hundred sites on our server to ensure they run at optimal speed, and we offer constant support. If you are looking to upgrade your website, but don’t want to switch over your web hosting, that’s no problem. We have plenty of experience working with other hosts and will work with you if you’d prefer to host elsewhere.