If you are not all that well-versed with the various faces of web hosting, shared hosting is the very common form you will find. Many hosting providers provide shared web hosting services. Shared web hosting is the first preference for many individuals and small business owners. In fact, most of the sites you run across benefit the most from this type of platform. While there are many advantages to such a solution, there are disadvantages you require to be alert of as well.
Advantages of Shared Web Hosting :
Low cost :
Cost-effectiveness is the biggest profit of shared hosting. Because you are sharing server space with another user, the provider is capable to make profits and provide a cheaper service. And in a very competitive hosting market, you can easily find yourself a shared hosting plan for less than $0.08 per day. When considering all the features you can get nowadays, these affordable web hosting packages offer great value.
Simplicity :
Shared web hosting basically draws the basic concept of managed hosting, which is normally refers to dedicated servers. In the case of shared hosting the host maintains the server and associated hardware in their data center. They offer you connectivity and manage all the complex server administrative work.
This is a proper solution for anybody that doesn’t have the know-how or manpower to run a server or simply requires to focus on the vital aspects of their business. In addition to that, comprehensive tools such as control panel software and website builders also create the shared hosting environment easier to grasp. Even the most technically challenged can succeed thanks to the rapid evolution of web hosting technology.
Disadvantages of Shared Web Hosting :
System Crashes – System or Server crashes with shared hosting still remains a problem. If the load of so many websites is there on the server, it can crash.
Performance Problem – Performance can also be a problem. User shares their server components with other users. So server components cant provide great performance.
Security – One of the other important parts that is not under warranty in a shared hosting environment. Web hosting companies offer customers a lot of power these days – way too much if you ask me. All it takes is one not professional webmaster to improper usage. htaccess or other sensitive components and stir up all kinds of chaos on the server.
If you are not as proficient as once thought with development languages, your PHP-based web applications can be left insecure, providing intruders with a gateway to your data. Then there is always the threat of sharing server space with a hacker looking to compromise unknowing users like yourself. The worst part of all, you might not have a clue what’s going on until it’s too late.
This is not a criticism of shared hosting, just a warning. The mere structure of this environment renders it unprotected against several threats or issues. But even then, with a little search, you can see yourself as a reliable company with the knowledge and technology to assure as many problems as possible.