Resource Library
Web Hosting: Traditional Hosting
Traditional Options
Traditional Website Hosting is standard choice for most small to medium businesses. With options both nationally and locally, Traditional Hosting is easily accessible with a variety of services and applications to choose from. Hosting is based through a server, which has different capabilities and parameters depending on the type of hosting and the cost associated.
The four major categories of Traditional Hosting include:
- Shared Hosting: This method splits the cost of using the server, but also splits the usage. Low-cost web startup, but often has data and traffic limitations.
- Virtual Private Servers (VPS): This option is also a shared server, but limits the number of users, providing a higher quality experience. There are also system features in VPS solutions that prevent wide-spread data and maintenance problems from being server wide. This option is slightly more expensive than Shared Hosting, but provides a much more reliable service.
- Dedicated Hosting: This option provides the most power, flexibility, and customization, but at the most cost. Since the server is being used solely by the paying business, there are no possibilities of over-sharing data or exceeding site traffic capabilities. This option is only suited for the user very comfortable in servers and software management, as the added flexibility is usually paired with choosing specific hardware, data capabilities, and the maintenance involved with these functions.
- WordPress Hosting: This option has a build in WordPress Content Manager to build on-top of, and WordPress provides some back-end management.
What’s Involved
When evaluating both a hosting company and hosting service type, there are many routes to choose from. For most users, the deciding factor is always cost, and this varies considerably between both the hosting company and the type of hosting. The leading providers often offer all of the before mentioned hosting options (Shared, VPS, Dedicated, WordPress), which can narrow the discussion to simply quality and the price point. Note that the costs involved in website development can include but are not limited to:
- Proprietary Software involved in building the Web Page
- Monthly Hosting Fees
- Yearly Renewal Fees for Domain Registration
- Additional Design and Maintenance Costs
The second factor to evaluate is quality. Hosting companies differentiate themselves by the applications, tools, design options, and software components they provide or are compatible with. Making an educated selection is very important; Once a web page or web content has been established with one host provider it can be very difficult if not impossible to transfer the site.
Commonly Used Website Hosting Providers
- eHost
- Blue Host
- Host Gator
- InMotion
- iPage
Additional Resources:
If you would be interested in learning more about Website Hosting, please contact the Alameda SBDC at (510) 516-4118
