Website hosting packages are available online and vary depending upon disk space, bandwidth, and other options worth considering. Companies that provide web hosting services provide space on a server so that the site will appear on the Internet and can be accessed by users. Web hosting packages that are offered free online do not normally come with much disk space and do not include many other features or options that may be available. Packages that are sold often include services such as email, database or multimedia services, and technical support. They are generally priced based upon the amount of disk space, bandwidth, the level of management support, and whether they are on a shared server, dedicated server, clustered, or on reseller hosting. Email options usually start with at least five email addresses. Disk space is measured in megabytes or gigabytes and bandwidth is the rate data is transferred which is measured in bits per second. The disk space and the bandwidth are important considerations for optimal website page loading.
A dedicated server means that a website is virtually running on its own server and can be independently rebooted without affecting anyone else's site. A dedicated server will run independently from other customer's websites, have its own copy of the operating system and other software. Website hosting packages include the option of being on a dedicated server, a shared server, or clustered among several severs. Dedicated servers are going to be the more expensive option. The cost may vary depending upon the level of management by the service company. A fully managed dedicated server will be more costly because the service includes a fully managed system where the service company handles all updates to software and any technical problems or issues that may arise.
Server management normally includes operating system updates, application updates, technical support, firewall services, security auditing, antivirus updates, any backups or restoration to hardware or software, database monitoring, intrusion or security attacks, and software updates or configuration issues. Website hosting packages will vary based upon the type of server or hosting services and the amount of management that is needed. More management means paying higher costs whereas no management will be the least expensive option. Providers who provide fully managed support are totally responsible for the server to stay up and running as well as being able to recover data as well as backing up data. "But they paid no attention and went offone to his field, another to his business" (Matthew 22:5). Just to be on the safe side a website owner should find a way to backup important data in case there is a problem with service.
A dedicated server provider often has several options available to the client for how the server is managed on web hosting packages. These include fully managed, managed, self managed, and unmanaged. A fully managed server requires the provider to monitor the system continually and perform updates, reboots, security patches, and any upgrades to software such as the operating system. A managed option means that the provider will perform some tasks and the client will perform some tasks when it comes to updates, support, and monitoring. A self managed plan requires that the provider perform monitoring and maintenance but the client will take care of everything else that needs to be done such as updating software and technical support. An unmanaged plan simply means that the provider does very little to maintain the service. The client must take care of maintenance, software upgrades and updates, security patches, and any other types of necessary tasks.
A shared server means that a website will share a server with other customers but has its own partition or section. This is the most economical option available with web hosting packages. The provider manages the servers, installs the software, keeps software updated, and provides technical support. Shared servers are implemented by either name-based or IP address-based. Name-based allows multiple names to be used on a single IP address. IP address-based is configured by one IP address which is dedicated to one user. Name-based servers share the security certificate whereas IP address-based has its own security certificate. IP-address based shared servers are going to be more costly then name-based shared servers.
Clustered hosting is handled a bit differently from shared and dedicated options. Clustered technology allows a website to be clustered over a platform that does not limit its operation to one server. Instead it shares the space, processing, and applications with many servers. A website owner can purchase more processing power whereas the provider only has to change settings or add new resources to accommodate those changes. Website hosting packages that offer clustered hosting offer multiple tiers of security which provides better security over other methods simply because any security attacks are dispersed over a large pool of servers.
Reseller hosting allows an account holder to sell use of hard drive space and bandwidth to a third party. A host can purchase the services for one price and then resell them to others for a profit. Web hosting packages that offer reseller options often do so to web design firms, web developers, systems integrators, and web hosting entrepreneurs. Most providers do not dictate the prices that a reseller charges to their clients. A reseller is normally responsible for maintaining his or her network infrastructure and dealing with customers but the hardware, software, and technical issues are left to the server provider. So a reseller does not have to have a lot of knowledge about hardware or software issues since he or she is not responsible for maintaining those on a server.
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