Web Hosting 101: Essential Things You Need To Know
In the digital age, there are many advantages of having a website in order to reach more people online. But starting a website can be easier said than done for the everyday person. Get to know the essentials of all one needs to know about web hosting which business owners can use for their own website strategy.
The importance of web hosting
Similar to the online version of a physical store, web hosting enables sites to have their own space on a single or on multiple servers. This space stores website files such as text, files, images, and videos. This serves not just as a storage space but the main access point of the website through the internet. These servers can be actual physical appliances but can be created virtually. Web hosting is done through the help of a web hosting provider who leases out this space for those building websites and helps manage all the data and files of the website owners.
What are domains and IP addresses?
The name of a website is the domain, much like a business name. This is the primary way to distinguish and let users visit a website. The key is to choose a domain name that is easy to remember. Getting a domain requires adding a name to a domain registrar. Most web hosting providers are domain registrars so in most cases business owners are able to easily register their domain together with their hosting package.
On the other hand, IP addresses act as the location of the website. Domains can come and go but IP addresses remain the same as they are tied to the server.
What’s in a web hosting plan?
Each web hosting provider offers different web hosting plans but here are some of the basics to keep an eye out for no matter the plan:
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- Data storage (Disk space)— This is the amount of storage space for files such as images, videos, pages, etc. The data storage can either be on a hard-disc drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD) which makes for faster access to data. The space can come in gigabytes or terabytes.
- Bandwidth (Data Transfer) — Bandwidth is the amount of data that can pass from the website to the visitors in a monthly or daily period. Exceeding the given bandwidth limitation can mean additional fees or a site suspension from the hosting provider.
- Uptime — This is the time a website is accessible to visitors anywhere in the world. It is not unusual for websites to experience downtime. So, it’s crucial to ensure that the website hosting provider has a support team that can help troubleshoot any downtimes.
- Email addresses — Hosting plans often cap how many websites and email addresses can be connected to a single account.
Different web hosting plans
Shared hosting allows for all resources on a server to spread across different websites. This is one of the cheapest option as web hosts can bundle small websites together. Shared hosting is ideal for small and start-up websites and businesses. The downside is the slow load times, high down-times, and lax security setups as websites share hosting resources with multiple other websites.
Much like the cloud, cloud hosting makes use of multiple machines working together and sharing resources to power a website. With cloud hosting, there is less downtime, more speed, and more resources. However, it is significantly more pricey than shared hosting. Big names such as Facebook and Google make use of cloud hosting as well.
This allows for reserving actual server machines for a website. This makes it costly but guarantees all the resources to be exclusive. Dedicated hosting is a good option for larger businesses that deal with sensitive data.
The right web hosting for you
Knowing all these essentials can help businesses find a web hosting plan that can best suit their needs. It is important to find a web hosting provider with a good track record in delivering measured results. iManila is a web hosting and web development agency in the Philippines with years of experience in delivering web solutions to clients all over the country.
iManila, having been one of the first Internet Service Providers in the Philippines, aims to provide our clients with innovative online marketing services in the Philippines that can help convert your website visitors into quality leads or potential customers.
As one of the best web hosting providers in the Philippines, iManila is a full-service business web development company and digital marketing agency in the Philippines ready to help you with your web design and development, web hosting provider, email hosting, technical support, and digital marketing services needs. Work together with top advertising companies in the Philippines like iManila and make your brand goals become reality. Talk to us!
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