Web Hosting: Shared or Dedicated - Which Should You Choose

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, youre pretty much on your own where technical support is concerned. If you dont 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 youll 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 whats 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 dont have an IT staff or a server administrator and dont 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 youre getting technical support included.

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

Recommended Reading:

	Blinkx Video Search
	World's largest video search engine. Over 26 million hours of video. >> View Site
	Connect at Current.com
	Stay current! All the Latest News and Videos: Entertainment, Politics, Sex, Tech, and Music. See whats new at Current.com. >> View Site
	A Mood Booster to Combat The Credit Crunch
	Forget about the credit crunch for a little while and be just mildly entertained for a few minutes... >> View Site
	Write your own Self Improvement Review!
	Write and win! Help others while you help yourself. >> View Site
	Watch Free Videos At Mevio!
	Tons of Free Videos, Only At Mevio.com >> View Site
	The Best in Fine Living
	Lifes best is one click away. >> View Site
	Sweep the Leg
	Watch the Karate Kid Online. Free. Exclusively on Crackle. >> View Site
	Yahoo! Hotjobs
	Find the right one. Click here. >> View Site
	Entertainment News
	Breaking headlines and Hollywood gossip. Free entertainment videos and clips! >> View Site
	Free Online Kids Games
	Hundreds of fun free online games for kids. >> View Site