e-commerce | RFE Hosting

Shared Servers Vs. Dedicated Servers Vs. VPS

As you build a website, one of the first questions you will have to answer is what type of hosting service you need. For most startup websites, shared hosting is perfectly adequate. Shared hosting, not surprisingly, means that the data for your website will be stored on the same computer as the data for many other websites. Websites that experience high levels of traffic, or that have special requirements, may be better off with a dedicated server. As you may have guessed, a dedicated server is a single computer that hosts your data, and nothing but your data. There also exists a sort of hybrid between these two options known as virtual private server, or VPS for short. We will come back to VPS hosting later. For now we will examine the practical implications of shared servers and dedicated servers. Here are the key differences.

Price. Shared hosting means shared expenses. The main advantage of Shared hosting is that it is far more affordable.
Traffic volume capacity. Because shared servers must handle the traffic volume for all of their constituent websites, they are less able to handle large quantities of web traffic.
Security. Websites hosted on shared servers are at a higher risk of experiencing security issues.
SEO Blacklisting. Search engines may blacklist the IPS of a server that posts spammy content. By hosting your website on a shared server, you run the risk of being punished for your neighbor’s actions.
Disk space. Because you’ll be sharing memory with your online neighbors, you will have less room to store data on a shared server. Depending on your needs, this may or may not be a problem.
Performance. Because you will have an entire computer working for you, dedicated hosting means optimal Performance.

So what about VPS hosting? VPS is different than shared serving because uses partitions to simulate many of the benefits of a dedicated server all while using the same computer. It offers better functioning than shared serving at a fraction of the price of dedicated hosting.

Visit RFE Hosting online to learn more about the various hosting options we offer!

Choosing the Right Web Hosting Service: A 9 Point Checklist

Looking for the right web hosting service can be tricky. This nine-point checklist can help.

Have a clear vision of what kind of website you are building. How much traffic volume do you expect? Do you have special software needs? Are you willing to use WordPress or another common content management system? (CMS) Answering these questions will make the rest of the process clearer, and it will enable the web hosting company that helps you to better understand your needs.
Uptime and Reliability. Stability and reliability are non-negotiable, so be sure to choose a server that offers great uptime.
Upgrade options. Shared servers are increasingly powerful and should fit the needs of most startups just fine. That being said, if you believe your company and your website may experience substantial growth, you probably want to find a company that offers the option to upgrade to more powerful options such as VPS and managed dedicated servers.
Addon Domains. If you wish to own more than one domain, make sure that your server allows for it.
Price. Some hosting companies charge premium fees for…not-so-premium service. Make sure your hosting company offers great value!
E-Commerce. If you plan on conducting E-Commerce on your site, you will need an SSL certificate.
Money Back Guarantee. Some companies offer trial periods, which is an added bonus as it allows you to test their servers without risk.
Site Backup. This is crucial–make sure you choose a service that performs regular backups in order to avoid a disaster!
Customer Service. At some point (or, more likely, at many points) you are going to need help from your hosting company. Make sure you choose a company that is known for its great customer service, as this will make your life far easier.

RFE Hosting Makes the Grade!

At RFE Hosting, we are proud to say that we satisfy every item on this checklist. From unparalleled uptime to fantastic customer service and everything in between, RFE Hosting is the place to go for all of your hosting needs!