WordPress hosting and server types
WordPress is world’s most popularly used content management software (CMS). About 28% of the best one-million websites across the globe use WordPress. Whether you want to run an ecommerce store or a community site, or even a blog, the user-friendly, adaptable and flexible WordPress – complete with forums and private messaging facilities – has proved to be equally effective option for all.
The WordPress hosting options available in the market range right from basic Shared Hosting to a server dedicated entirely to your website. We’ll look at the hosts and their full range of offer through various packages later.
Here we will take a whirlwind tour of the major distinctions between basic types of hosting, which will help you have some context to understand things further. You can skip this part if you have already moved past the basics.
- Unmanaged hosting: In this type, the hosting company gives you space on a server and how you want to use it is left to you.
- Managed hosting: This one is the WordPress hosting type as here everything regarding your site is taken care of for you by the hosting company. You do not have to be concerned about security settings or server configuration.
It is actually easy to set up, run and maintain an installation using the unmanaged hosting type. Managed hosting option still proves to be better for a lot of reasons:
- If there is any problem, there is someone who has an equal responsibility towards solving that.
- You do not have to compulsorily bear the pressure of your site’s system administration. This is a relief as running a WordPress site successfully involves a lot of hassles such as ports, proxies and possible server meltdowns.
- Managed hosting ensures an automatic upgrade of your WordPress installs with every new release, so you have the best security system in place.
Although managed is the best WordPress hosting option, it is good to have some knowledge of various alternatives that are available. Let us quickly look at the major pros and cons of each of such alternatives.
WordPress hosting: traditional shared hosting
Shared hosting is commonly the first thing to be known if you are starting to learn about WordPress. In this, a host allots sections of its servers to various websites. Each site, while it co-exists with all the other sites, has access to only its own part of the server.
Pros
1. Cost: Since you share the space, it costs you lesser.
2. Low maintenance: You have limited access to the actual server you’re on, but then the installs and updates, such as PHP and MySQL, is the host’s headache.
3. Upgrade support: The host company provides you with easy migration tools to advanced hosting packages if your site is doing well.
Cons
1. Loose control: A shared hosting package doesn’t allow you to configure advanced server options, and this can be a huge stumbling block if you are ignorant and it comes as a surprise.
2. Performance issues: A high traffic is sure to make a shared hosting package shaky, resulting into a sluggish pace.
3. Security: Shared hosting providers are usually pretty serious about server-wide security. Still multiple sites on one machine is a potential risk. Therefore, the shared option is definitely not the best WordPress hosting type.
WordPress hosting: Virtual Private Server (VPS)
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is an excellent solution for resource-heavy sites which can’t work on a shared hosting account. Although not the best WordPress hosting type, the VPS packs up server space in a balanced manner so you can almost run your own machine in isolation. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to this.
Pros
1. With a VPS, which you can freely configure to suit your needs, you’re in good control of your own resources.
2. It is more expensive than shared hosting, but VPS still costs reasonably given the considerable power and flexibility it brings for you. A well-set, cost-effective VPS can deliver possibly some of the most amazing WordPress performances.
3. Your website has its own little area on a standard VPS setup, which rids you of nearby vulnerabilities and noises.
Cons
1. Although VPS allows you to fiddle with configuration and settings, the hardware still remains out of your control. This is more like renting a room rather than buying the property. Whether this should be an issue remains the customer’s decision.
2. You need a strong heart and head to maintain a server on a business-critical, public-facing site. Taking care of your site’s technical setup with VPS is a process that needs a lot of alertness.
WordPress hosting: Dedicated
This type is, without any doubt, the best WordPress hosting type. It is like running a VPS with full control over your own machine. The fact that a website owner is toying with the idea of using a dedicated server shows that he already knows a lot about server setups in general. He doesn’t need to be told much.
While the plus point of this option is that it gives you total control, the disadvantage is mostly a heavy system administration burden and unaffordable pricing.
Conclusion
Compare the options available today for hosting a WordPress website to a scenario just half a decade ago, and you will be amazed at the number of simplified and affordable offers by various companies. But, experts claim that ResellerClub has been most consistent when it comes to WordPress hosting.
This is a guest post by Tejas Vernekar.