What Does It Mean If A Server Is Shared?
You may be feeling somewhat confused by the terms you are coming across while comparing costs for your new web hosting package. Terms like the cloud, shared, dedicated, and VPS can leave your head spinning. Before committing to a web hosting package, it is important to understand exactly what you can expect.
Most first-time web hosters are looking for somewhere to put their website so it can be enjoyed online. Shared hosting is a cost-effective way to get your website online without diving too deep into the web hosting world. But just what does it mean to say that a server is shared?
Sharing is caring
To understand how a server is shared, it is important to first grasp the capacity of a single server. Dedicated servers are computers specifically designed to hold huge amounts of data. Every aspect of the server is specialised for maximum capacity storage and data retrieval. Hardware, software, and network connections are super-sized to provide the most resources, redundancy, and speed.
An entire dedicated server is far too large (and expensive) to host a single site for the average website owner. Website owners choose web hosting packages that occupy servers specially provisioned (or divided) to provide hosting to many users at the same time. Sharing a large server is less expensive and easier to use. Processes are automated in shared hosting to help website owners who might not understand coding and technical operations.
Our expert technical support staff help monitor shared servers to ensure that there are plenty of resources available, and that connections are always available. If one user within a shared server is using more than their fair share of resources, our admins will even out usage for the rest of the server.
Why choose shared hosting?
You may still not be sure if shared hosting is the right choice for your next digital adventure, so below are some characteristics of users who pair perfectly with a shared environment.
#1. You are new to web hosting.
If you are a first-time website creator, then shared hosting is the perfect plan to start out with. As your website grows, you can always add additional resources or scale your hosting plan to accommodate your increasing needs.
#2. You are creating a small business from the ground up.
UK2.NET loves entrepreneurs. Our small business roots mean that we love to help startup organisations succeed. We offer all the tools and services you need to find your place in the ecommerce world.
#3. You are moving a website from a web application like Wix or WordPress.com.
Many of our clients administrate websites created on other web applications but have outgrown the capabilities of the single-user atmosphere. Shared hosting is perfect if you are looking for a larger, dedicated space for your established website.
#4. You are looking for cost-effective hosting.
Shared hosting is the most economical way to create a secure web presence. Enjoy all of the perks of a larger server without paying the full price of a dedicated or VPS host.
#5. You want to start a blog.
Shared hosting is perfect for users who are looking to create a blog. UK2.NET offers WordPress hosting specifically optimised for WordPress websites. However, you will find plenty of room to grow if you do not choose WordPress as your blogging platform.