Web servers are the foundation for websites. However, not all servers are the same. Not only are there differences in hardware, but there are different server types that offer different amounts of security. These differences, combined with the hardware, can make up drastically different hosting packages.
We’ll go over three of these popular hosting types and lay out some common characteristics of each of them.
Shared Hosting
Shared web hosting accounts share the resources (like memory and RAM) of a single server with other shared web hosting accounts. You can think of shared hosting like owning a single unit in an apartment building. All units share the infrastructure and utilities of the building. However the space inside the apartment is yours to use as you please.
Shared hosting is generally the entry-level hosting type. Because of its setup, shared hosting can be offered at a much lower price than VPS or Dedicated Hosting solutions.
Generally the needs of small sites are low enough that resource sharing isn’t an issue. Shared hosting can have a range of hardware specs, but it best suited for a modest site with minimal security needs.
Want to know more about shared web hosting? Check out our complete explanation on our What is Shared Hosting? blog.
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Virtual Private Servers (VPS)
If shared web hosting is like owning a unit in an apartment building, virtual private servers (VPS) are like living in a really nice condo. Instead of sharing all of the resources on the server, a specific amount is dedicated for your account’s use only.
Although technically there are other accounts on the physical server, these accounts are partitioned off into multiple ‘virtual’ servers which look and act like their own dedicated server. A VPS runs its own operating system, applications, and data, all of which are isolated from other data on the physical server. This enables customers to have the benefits of a dedicated server at a fraction of the cost.
All VPS accounts at pair Networks have the ability to run MySQL locally, allowing databases to reside on the VPS along with the web files. This is sometimes important for users that need a custom MySQL configuration.
Want to know more about VPS hosting? Check out our What is VPS Hosting? blog.
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Dedicated Servers
Purchasing a dedicated server means that your account, and only your account, will run on the web server. The entire web server will be “dedicated” to your account. Having a dedicated server is like owning your own home. The server is for your use only. This allows for the highest level of customization, security, and performance.
All dedicated servers at pair Networks are synced with a ShadowDrive. This takes a mirror image of each drive for backup. In the event of a drive failure, the secondary hard drive, using ShadowDrive technology, can easily be swapped for the failing drive saving you from the long restore time associated with other backup systems.
