subject: Your Hosting Packages [print this page] Many individuals out there incorrectly believe that the web hosting segment provides the same kinds of services from one company to the next. Most people think that there are few, if any, differences, throughout the hosting industry. This could not be further from the truth. There are many different types of hosting services available and each web host offers its customers any number of different options and bonuses within each package that they sell.
Shared Plans
When you sign up for a shared plan, you are basically using a server that hosts yours as well as other customers' sites. In some cases, there may be ten websites besides your own. In other cases, there may be hundreds or thousands. As it is less expensive than alternative solutions, a number of individuals choose to go the shared hosting route.
Dedicated Servers
If you are looking for a plan that is very flexible and can grow with your site's needs, a dedicated plan is a good choice. With dedicated hosting you are in the driver's seat and can specify everything that is installed on the server, including the operating system, software and other scripts that you need to use. Dedicated hosting means that that the server is dedicated solely to you, so you will not be sharing space or resources with any other customers.
VPS Programs
The downside of a dedicated server is the higher price. A virtual private server (VPS) gives you many of the benefits of a dedicated plan while remaining more cost effective. The box is partitioned in such a way that your website shares processing resources with the sites of other customers. The partitioning helps to ensure that all clients have access to equal yet separate resources of the server. This means that your site will not be affected by the resource needs of the other customers on the server.
Packages for Resellers
Solutions from resellers are set up to favor clients who wish to buy a large provider's hosting service to resell it under their proprietary name brand. Basically, the reseller is charged a monthly fee to use a certain chunk of space on a server. In turn, the reseller then divides this allocation into smaller units that can be sold to other customers. This type of plan is only suggested for someone who wants to get into the re-seller industry.
Flexibility, reliability and support are the three key elements that you must consider when searching for a new web hosting solution. Don't ever just choose a host because they offer the lowest prices.
