What Is Web Hosting and How Does It Work for Your Business?

How does web hosting work?

Web applications or websites generally consist of multiple website files, including images, videos, text, and code, which must be stored on special computers called servers. The job of web hosting services is to take care of the maintenance, configuration, and operation of physical servers that you can lease to store your files. Additionally, web hosting services offer supplementary support like security, website backup, and optimising website performance so you can make time and concentrate on the other essential functions of your website.

When internet users want to access your website, they will only need to input your website URL or domain name into their browser to access it. Afterwards, their computer or other device will connect to your server and begin receiving your web pages through their browser



Why is web hosting important?

Web hosting services basically provide assistance and maintenance services to business website owners to ensure that their website is fast, stable, and accessible. Without a reliable digital storage system, it would not be possible for anyone to access web content consistently.

Web hosting company engineers ensure that website owners don’t have to worry about server maintenance, security updates, or other technical requirements by monitoring the servers. Moreover, part of their jobs is to make sure that sufficient bandwidth and storage space is being provided for all the webpages and other digital content associated with a particular domain name.

Through a web hosting service, site owners can be able to maximise their time and focus more on other important tasks to grow their business. With a wide range of options to choose from, finding the perfect web hosting provider has never been easier for individuals and businesses alike.

For businesses who want to ensure a seamless integration of design elements and hosting infrastructure, the best approach is to let your Wollongong web design and hosting be managed by the same company. This ultimately leads to a more unified and streamlined website.

What are the types of web hosting?

Although the internet hosts a variety of websites, there are three unique types of web hosting providers designed to cater to every requirement of a business site.

1. Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting, or also referred to as dedicated server hosting, is a type of web hosting that entitles website owners with an entire web server that is not shared with anyone else. In a dedicated hosting, you are provided with greater authority and control because you get to store your website's files exclusively.

Dedicated hosting basically entails renting an entire web server exclusively for your website. With full root access and admin privileges, you have the authority to customise your security measures and operating system to align precisely with your business needs.

However, given all these leverage and control, opting for a dedicated hosting could also be equivalent to greater costs on the part of the business owner. In fact, it is one of the most expensive web hosting services as the cost of a dedicated server is directly influenced by factors such as processor, storage, memory, and network speeds. As you acquire more processing power, storage space, bandwidth, and memory, the cost of your dedicated server will rise accordingly.

While dedicated servers can be more costly, they are particularly suited for website owners and larger companies seeking maximum customisation, flexibility, and full control of their servers. Furthermore, installing and managing the server demands a significant level of technical skill.

With a cloud hosting provider, business owners are provided with the advantage to use the computing resource like a utility service. This allows users to leverage resources according to their requirements, without needing to build their own computing infrastructure.

The resources in use are distributed across multiple servers, so in the event that one server malfunctions, another server can seamlessly take over, minimising downtime and ensuring consistent and reliable service.

This type of web hosting is suitable for large businesses that need to build, store, back up, and recover data such as manufacturing, telecommunications, automotive, financial services, construction industries, and more.

Compared with a traditional dedicated server, this type of web hosting has reduced hardware expenses, enhanced security measures, the option to work with multiple servers for redundancy and failover, and improved overall performance.

Significantly, cloud hosting is versatile and adaptable, allowing your website to expand seamlessly over time by utilising the necessary resources, while ensuring that you only pay for what you actually need.

3. Shared Hosting

From the term itself, shared hosting involves sharing multiple websites using a single web server. It basically works by storing your website using the same server as other websites. With a shared hosting provider, you get to access your own website files while sharing the same server resources such as the disk space, CPU (central processing unit), and RAM (random access memory).

Since all resources are shared in this type of web hosting, it is known for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. As the least expensive hosting option, shared hosting is typically used when hosting new sites or small sites that don't have much traffic. Shared hosting, being the most affordable choice, is typically preferred for hosting new or small websites with limited traffic.

However, in terms of performance, sharing resources with other accounts may not be optimal. The performance of shared hosting mainly depends on the provider's approach to accommodating multiple hosting accounts on a single server.



What is the difference between web hosting vs domain name?

Web hosting and domain hosting are two distinct services that are closely related yet have separate functionalities. Web hosts specialise in storing website content, ensuring it is accessible via internet servers. Whereas, domain hosts focus on providing domain names, which pertain to the addresses that enable visitors to access website content seamlessly.

Together, these services contribute to the successful functioning of websites, ensuring both the storage of content and the ease of navigation for visitors. But to give you a clearer overview of their functionality, here is an in-depth look of what is web hosting and domain name.



Web hosting services enable you to make your website accessible on the internet. When you acquire hosting services from a provider, they allocate a portion of their web servers for storing your website files and data. So when a visitor enters your website's domain name, it's your web hosting provider's responsibility to deliver the website's content to that visitor.

On top of these, web hosts also provide user-friendly tools for beginners, enabling website management without requiring extensive technical skills. Furthermore, hosting providers also offer customer support, perform server maintenance, and provide website builders to assist users in creating and maintaining their sites. In addition to storage, a web host also safeguards both the server and your website files against cyberattacks.



Domain Name

The internet is basically a big network for computers that are connected together using cables. To help in their identification, each computer is given a set of numeric labels known as IP addresses. However, while these numbers are separated by dots, it can be too difficult for humans to remember the combinations. As such, domain names were created to give websites their own unique name.

A domain name is a text-based label that corresponds to an alphanumeric IP address, that serves as a means to access a website through client software. In simpler terms, the domain name which typically goes like domainexample.com, refers to the website address that internet users type in to find and access your website easily among others.

Domain hosting providers are usually the ones responsible for registering your domain name. For instance, if you have registered your domain with a third-party provider, they will act as your domain host, and you'll manage your domain through their services.

To register a domain name, you need to choose one first that reflects your business or personal brand. It must also adhere to certain guidelines set by ICANN (Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers). The domain registrar will then make sure the name you want is available, and if so, it registers your domain in your name for a specified period of time. A domain host then stores the files associated with your website on a web server, making it accessible to everyone connected to the internet.

Typically, most registrations have a validity of 1 year before they expire. When this happens, you need to renew your domain name before you can use it again. Next, you have the option to buy a hosting plan that you can link with your domain name. Eventually, you can install website softwares, add tools and plugins, and start adding content to your website.

What is web hosting vs web server?

While web hosting and web servers are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. Let's take a closer look.



Web Servers

Web servers on the other hand not only host websites, but they also provide database storage, and respond to requests from browsers or other programs. Aside from storing component files, one of their main objectives is to also provide security and maintenance services as well as optimise a website's loading speed.

While web hosting refers to the process of using a server to host a website, web servers are like computers that run on websites.



Which are the best hosting services for your business?

How to choose the best hosting service provider?

When your website expands, extra storage space, bandwidth, and other resources may eventually be required. In such situations, transitioning to a more advanced hosting solution like cloud hosting or virtual private server (VPS) could be a wise move.

This is essential to ensure that your provider offers a range of web hosting services for easy upgrades when needed. Moreover, when choosing between web hosting providers, you may need to consider various factors before making a decision.



Control Panel

Using a hosting control panel, you can efficiently oversee your hosting account without the need to access the web server directly. Therefore, it's advisable to choose web hosts that offer a user-friendly interface suitable for users of all skill levels.



Web Hosting Uptime

Unstable web servers can often lead to unexpected downtime, which can significantly affect your business and damage customer trust. Therefore, it's important that the hosting provider you choose adheres to the uptime guarantee they promote.

An uptime guarantee and transparent terms of service demonstrate a hosting company's dedication to maintaining the reliability and stability of their systems.



Technical Features

Aside from selecting hosting services with enough disk space, processing power, and bandwidth, you should also ensure that your hosting provider has other features that will help run your website smoothly.



Online Reviews

Conduct thorough research by reading website hosting reviews that offer comprehensive insights into various web hosting service providers. Many online reviews cover essential details like uptime and speed, giving you valuable insights into the actual performance of the provider's servers.



Customer Service

24/7 customer service or technical support is crucial when dealing with unforeseen website issues like slow loading speeds, crashes, or security breaches. When choosing a web hosting provider, be sure to verify if they also offer additional support resources such as tutorials and knowledge bases.



Additional Services

A good web hosting plan truly delivers exceptional value when it includes complimentary add-ons and features such as an SSL certificate, a professional business email account, or access to a content delivery network (CDN). These additional services can help take your website to the next level without putting a strain on your budget.



Takeaway

Web hosting is an essential component for businesses to ensure that their servers are always maintained. Without it, businesses may suffer because of poor website performance. Given this, it is important to choose a web hosting provider that can offer you the necessary features and support to keep your website up and running.

At Love My Online Marketing, we are dedicated to help businesses ensure their websites are performing optimally at all times. With years of experience working in digital marketing and web design, we have the expertise and skills to ensure your web pages are hosted in the most secure and reliable way possible. Whether you need website design services or web hosting, we have what you're looking for.

If you want your website to be secure, reliable, and efficient, then look no further than Love My Online Marketing. Get in touch with us today so we can assist you further in optimising your website's performance.