Shared hosting is the basic set up/configuration for web hosting. Multiple customers are assigned to a specific server (physical or virtual), sharing in the server’s memory, space and computing power. These customers in turn, put up their websites or web applications for the public web to access.
Web hosting companies will place as many customers as possible on the server, maximizing their profit. At some point, when performance is clearly an issue, a new server is deployed and the process starts all over again.
Think of Shared hosting as a condominium. Everyone has separate units but everyone shares the common area, utilities, water and other amenities.
Here’s a bullet point summary of basic points about Shared Web hosting.
Advantages to a Web Hosting company
- Cost effective to start with one server
- Better margins
- Easy maintenance; upkeep
Disadvantages to a Web Hosting company
- As customers increase, more support
- Customers affect each other; one bad apple…
- Increase risk of bad performance & security
Advantages to a Customer
- Cheaper monthly rates (e.g. $5/mo)
- Unlimited everything (limitations still exist)
- Server managed by web host
Disadvantages to a Customer
- All customers are in the same environment, competing for resources
- Performance is poor, when another site on the server is eating up resources
- Security is a major concern, especially when a site is hacked
[…] far we have gone over what is shared hosting and what are virtual servers. We’re going to go over a few advanced web hosting […]