When you are looking into website hosting, you will undoubtedly come across terms like dedicated hosting and cloud hosting. So what are these types of hosting and what is the difference between them?
Before getting into that, let’s take a look at why you need a professional hosting plan in the first place.
Why is professional hosting important?
If you are planning to gain any sort of profit from your website, then it is always a good idea to get a professional hosting plan for yourself. Firstly, you can have a reliable website with high uptime guarantee. If one server fails, there will be another server available to help keep your website up and running.
Most of the website hosting companies offer 24×7 technical support to help tackle any issue related to your website. Security is another major aspect that is taken care of with a web hosting plan. Advanced technology is used to ensure the highest security for your website.
Website scalability is another good reason to opt for professional web hosting. Scalability is the capacity of your website to handle the increasing number of demands that come with a sudden rise in traffic.
Overview of dedicated hosting and cloud hosting
Before explaining the difference between dedicated hosting and cloud hosting, let’s understand how website hosting is classified into different types.
The differentiation is based on the type of physical server that is used. Hosting type is also categorized on the basis of the resource allocation.
A dedicated hosting server is a single physical server in which all resources are allocated to one client only. Unlike a VPS or a shared hosting environment where the resources are limited and shared among all users, a dedicated server offers all resources without any restrictions.
On the other hand, a cloud hosting service provides you with virtual hosting servers. Your data is stored on a network of virtual servers. Since physical servers are not used, you get better accessibility, reliability and capability options.
Dedicated servers advantages & disadvantages
Now that we know what dedicated servers are, let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of this type of hosting.
Advantages
Resource Allocation
The main advantage of a dedicated server is that you get all resources allocated to you and you do not have to share with others. Resources like CPU, RAM, and storage are essential for hosting. Sharing these resources is not an ideal option for those who want high performing websites. Having these resources dedicated to yourself is a game changer! You get better reliability and high performance with dedicated servers.
Better Security
As there are no other users on the same server as you, security issues are drastically reduced. You will have complete control over the security settings on your server. Depending on the purpose of your website, you will be able to use your own security measures.
Flexibility
With complete control over your server, you get greater flexibility. You can easily configure the server according to your needs as you are the sole user of the server. Install custom software, choose your preferred operating system and configure the server to make it well optimized. Therefore, flexibility is a major advantage of a dedicated server.
Scalability
Flexibility also brings in more scope for scalability. In dedicated hosting, all resources are allocated to you. This means that you have more authority over which resource you need to expand to grow your website.
Disadvantages
Cost
The main reason why people think twice before getting started with dedicated hosting is the high cost. Dedicated hosting is expensive. However, this high cost is justified. The entire server is used only for a single client. This means that you have to bear the cost of maintenance and its entire management yourselves.
Technical Expertise
Unless you are using a fully managed dedicated server, you will need to have a certain level of technical expertise to manage the server. Its configuration, software installation and overall management will have to be taken care of by you. This can be a drawback for those who do not have any technical expertise and have to hire experts, leading to higher costs.
Resource Management
The resources of a dedicated server will only do you good as long as you allocate it strategically. Poorly managed resources will not lead to any benefit. Therefore, a well planned resource management is necessary to reap the benefits of a dedicated server. This requires time and effort from your side.
Cloud Hosting Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages
Scalability
Cloud hosting is more scalable than traditional hosting methods. It is well suited for a website which has rapidly changing needs. You can easily scale up or down depending on the current requirement of your website. As there are no physical limitations, you can expand your resources as much as you want with just the click of a mouse. With virtualization technology, most resources can be very easily allocated to the client.
You do not need to migrate from one server to another when your needs change. Simply scale with cloud hosting! Therefore, this is a great advantage for those users who have variable traffic on their website.
Accessibility
Cloud hosting provides better accessibility options. You can access your server from anywhere. All you need to have is an internet connection.
Cost Effective
You can customize your resources very easily with cloud hosting. Another major advantage of a cloud hosting plan is that you can pay- as- you- go. You only need to pay depending on your usage. Therefore, it is highly cost- effective. If you need to adjust the price of your cloud hosting, simply scale your resources to save!
Disadvantages
Internet Dependency
One of the disadvantages of cloud hosting is that you are completely dependent on the internet for access. As much as it increases your accessibility, at times of no internet access this becomes a disadvantage.
Speed
Another way dependance on the internet can become a disadvantage is when it comes to speed. Since you are reliant on the internet for the hosting of your website, a slow internet connection can delay its management significantly.
Incompatibility
Compatibility issues may arise when you make the switch to cloud hosting. This is because some of the internal systems that you are using may not be compatible with the cloud. So before you switch, make sure that the cloud and your systems are compatible.
Who can benefit from dedicated server hosting?
E- commerce websites can benefit from dedicated server hosting because of the high volume of transactions that need to be processed. Gaming sites often use dedicated servers to avoid crashes. Businesses that use complex enterprise applications also rely on dedicated servers for higher security and control. Music or video streaming businesses can use dedicated servers to improve their performance, while primarily focusing on speed.
Who can benefit from cloud hosting?
Small and medium sized businesses can benefit from cloud hosting because they do not need to invest too much on physical servers. It is also great for scaling up their resources as they grow. Software companies can use cloud hosting. It provides developers with the tools and resources to build and test applications. Healthcare organizations need to store a large amount of patient data. Cloud hosting can be very beneficial for this purpose as long as security measures are met.
Wrap-up
Dedicated hosting and cloud hosting are very different from each other. You need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each type to decide which hosting type will suit you better.
Dedicated hosting uses a single physical server which is dedicated to the client. Resources are allocated only for the single designated client. It improves the performance and reliability of a website. It is great for customization. However, it is expensive and requires a lot of technical expertise.
In cloud hosting, you are provided with a network of virtual servers. You can access these easily with an internet connection. It is very cost- effective and scalable. Cloud hosting is great for those who do not want to invest in expensive physical servers. Accessibility issues may arise if you do not have an internet connection. You might face compatibility issues when you switch to cloud hosting.
So, choose dedicated hosting if you are looking for great performance, reliability and customization. Cloud hosting is ideal for those who require a lot of storage space and good scalability options, but do not wish to invest in a physical server yet.