Z Technology Journal

Shared or Dedicated Web Hosting - Which Should You Choose?

Should I rent a dedicated or shared Web server?

Do I Need a Shared or Dedicated Server?

The overwhelming majority of web sites that you find online are hosted on shared servers. There are indeed benefits to hosting your web site on a dedicated server, as will be explained below, but for most people the significant jump in cost does not justify such a decision.

What’s the Difference Between a Shared Server and a Dedicated Server?
The difference between a shared server and a dedicated server is that in the case of a dedicated web server, your web site has its own server where all of your web files and databases are stored. With a shared server on the other hand, you share server space with other web sites; sometimes it can be a few hundred web sites or even a few thousand, depending on the hosting company you choose. More reliable web hosts will keep the number of web sites on each shared server to a reasonable minimum, so that your site’s load time isn’t adversely affected. Before choosing a web host, it is a good idea to find out from the host exactly how many sites you will be sharing a server with.

In the diagrams below, look at the dedicated server setup (right) verse the shared server structure (left), where multiple sites are hosted on the same device:

To better understand the difference between shared and dedicated servers, think of the computer you’re using right now. Are only your files stored on it, or do you share the computer’s space with other members of your family or co-workers? It would be less economical for your family to have a different computer dedicated to each family member, unless a certain member of your family was using a very large portion of the computer’s resources. In that case, the family member in question may need his or her own computer that is dedicated entirely to them. This is also true in the case of web servers. A web site that demands a large portion of the server’s resources is less disruptive on its own dedicated web server, while a less demanding web site will function fine on a shared web server setup.

Which Should I Choose, a Shared or a Dedicated Server?
Unless cost is not (and will never be) a factor in your decision, when starting a web site it is usually best to store your site on a shared server at a reliable hosting company. We host this web site on a shared server at HostRocket.com, who has provided reliable hosting for several of CTF Media’s web sites for more than five years. Paying five to fifteen dollars a month for a shared server (instead of $90+ for a dedicated setup) will give you time to affordably design and optimize your web site. Keep in mind that you can always upgrade later if you outgrow your memory space and bandwidth, which are usually quite considerable. When signing up for shared hosting, be sure to sign up for a dedicated IP address, as explained below.

Do I need a Dedicated IP Address on a Shared Server?
An IP address is a unique address given to each computer, including web servers. Dedicated servers usually have a single dedicated IP address unique to the server device (unless you’re a reseller). Shared servers however, often share a single IP address across multiple web sites on the server. This can lead to many problems since search engines often identify web sites by each site’s IP address. For example, let’s say that you share server space with JoesCrackHaven.com and Google decides to ban JoesCrackHaven.com from its search engine (Joe could have been spamming the engine or doing something else that Google prohibits). Google will ban JoesCrackHaven by the web site’s IP address, not by the site’s URL (domain name). Unfortunately, since you share the same server IP address with Joe’s site, your web site will be banned from Google as well, because the search engines ban by IP address, not by URL. In that case, when signing up for a shared server, be sure to choose a hosting company that allows you to have a dedicated IP address, which can cost an additional few bucks but is highly advised.

Before you begin your search for a web host you should first determine whether you need shared web hosting or dedicated web hosting.

A shared web hosting account is an account on a web server that hosts other shared accounts. The number of accounts on one shared server can vary widely; some servers host a few hundred, while others have thousands of sites hosted on one server. Hosting your website on a shared server is a workable solution for many small businesses, as shared hosting accounts are priced much lower than dedicated servers. Shared web hosting accounts have limited access to the core administrative functions of the server. Most web hosting companies offer comprehensive technical support for users of shared hosting plans. Complete technical support is usually included in the price of your account plan.

A dedicated server is usually dedicated to one, or just a few websites, usually for the sole use by one company. The cost of a dedicated server is higher than that of a shared hosting account. With a dedicated server, you have access to the core administrative functions of the server. With most dedicated server plans offered by hosting companies, you’re pretty much on your own where technical support is concerned. If you don’t have an IT staff or a server administrator to provide support, you may want to find a person to help you manage your dedicated server. Many hosting companies that offer dedicated server plans also offer “per issue” support, meaning that you’ll pay a certain amount, usually an hourly fee, for technical support issues. Some dedicated server plans have optional “support tickets” that you can purchase in advance.

Another option is what’s called a “managed dedicated” hosting plan. With a managed dedicated plan, you get a dedicated server and the hosting company also provides comprehensive support like you usually find in a shared hosting plan. This is a good alternative for companies that don’t have an IT staff or a server administrator and don’t want to get involved at all in the technical aspects of running a server. The price for a managed dedicated server is usually higher than for an unmanaged dedicated server plan as you’re getting technical support included.

Whatever type of web hosting plan you choose, make sure that the plan you’ve chosen fits your needs.

Shared web hosting is just that – several websites are located on a single server. Since it is split up among several website owners, the price is cheaper than dedicated hosting. The down side is that storage and bandwidth are limited in a shared hosting situation. However, most small to medium size businesses operate their websites on a shared host effectively and efficiently. If you anticipate a few thousand visitors per day or less, shared hosting can be a good choice for your website.

Dedicated web hosting is exactly what it sounds like. One server is used solely for the purpose of hosting one website. If you plan to have an extremely popular website, this option will allow you to host many more visitors than shared web hosting. A dedicated web host is recommended for websites that need high bandwidth requirements or need high storage capacity. Since you are not sharing it with other websites, it all belongs to you on a dedicated server.

While you are researching potential web hosts, there are a few clues you can look for to determine whether the host is shared or dedicated. Many times the web host will actually say whether it is shared or dedicated. If it does not say, it is generally shared. Just to make sure, look at the price. If it’s cheaper than $80 per month, it is generally a shared web hosting plan.

A. Shared, or virtual, servers are usually more than adequate for low volume or entry-level sites. Sites with highly sensitive information, high volume, or special software requirements will probably need a dedicated server. The items below detail the major characteristics of shared and dedicated Web servers.

DEDICATED
Able to install customized e-commerce or database applications
Access to server operating system
More expensive
Increased security; ability to manage firewalls and all password access
Managing and estimating traffic levels is up to you
Requires technical skill to administer

SHARED
Restricted to software and operating systems offered by the host
Limited access to OS
Less expensive
Less secure; a breach of security on another site on the server could affect your site
No control over total traffic on server
Needs little technical ability to administer