There are many types of web hosting. Depending on the usage of your website and of the servers, one or the other of these types would suit you best. Two of the most considered web hosting services are managed hosting and dedicated server hosting.
Managed Hosting
Managed hosting provides or leases the client with his/her own web server. With a managed hosting service, the client has the web server all to his own. This is unlike free and shared hosting services where a server is being shared by multiple clients. In managed hosting, the client can choose the type of server s/he needs. This may range from basic servers to high-end ones. Also, the client may choose the operating system for the server. The provider may also give the client more liberties over the specifications of the server. Though the client has control over the features needed for the hosting service and the specs for the server, the provider would take care of all other technicalities. This include the installation and configuration of the software and hardware components, system maintenance, security, monitoring, and updating. The server for managed hosting is usually placed in an off-site data center.
Dedicated Server Hosting
Just like managed hosting, dedicated hosting provides the client with his/her own server which is not shared by other clients of the provider. Aside from the freedom given to the client in managed hosting, dedicated hosting provides the client with full control over the server. This means that all the technicalities and administrating done by the provider in managed hosting will be done by the client.
The Pros and Cons
In order to weigh in on which type of web hosting you need, you must know the pros and cons of each. For managed hosting, these are its advantages:
- Getting all the perks of dedicated server hosting but without the system administration and management
- No need to hire your own IT staff
- Having more time to run and attend to your business
- Higher security for your website
On the other hand, these are the disadvantages of managed hosting:
- Additional cost for the system administration of the provider
- No full control of the server
- Highly dependent on the provider
And here are the advantages of dedicated server hosting:
- Getting to do with anything you want with the server, i.e. full control over it
- Lower hosting costs compared to managed hosting because of the lower level of support and assistance needed from the provider
Lastly, the following are the disadvantages for dedicated server hosting:
- Being fully responsible for any technical issues you may encounter with your server
- Management and maintenance may take up a lot of your time
Which One is For You?
If you have a good grasp of the knowledge needed for maintaining a web server, or if you have hired your own IT staff, then dedicated server hosting is more suited for you. You may also go with dedicated server hosting if you have the resources – with which you are confident with – and the time to manage your server without compromising your business. This would also be the appropriate choice for you if you have a large website which needs complex customizations for the server.
Meanwhile, managed hosting may be better for you if you are not IT-savvy enough to handle the web server on your own. This type of web hosting may also be better for you if you want to be more hands-on with your business. If the transactions on your website are the ones commonly found in similar websites yet you expect a higher traffic rate for your website, then managed hosting would suffice.
