Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

December 02, 2008

Managed Hosting or Colocation? - How to Decide

Managed hosting describes an arrangement where a web hosting company "manages" and provides everything needed to run your website.  This includes the server and network hardware, the software for building the site and managing email, an internet connection, upgrades, backups and so forth.  In this situation, all you really have to do is design the web pages and promote the site.

The Faces of Managed Hosting

The scenario above pretty much describes your shared web hosting account, an arrangement where several customers share a single server and all its resources at one time.  With shared hosting, the provider handles all the technical aspects behind the scenes.  Dedicated hosting is the alternative, a service which is most often used to described managed hosting.  With a dedicated server, you essentially have the entire machine all to yourself.  In most cases, you have enough disk space and bandwidth to host multiple sites and generally have a greater level of control over the server itself, the aspect that distinguishes it the most from shared hosting.  While there are different types of shared and dedicated plans such as VPS and reseller accounts, all of them are basically just different variations of managed hosting.

Colocation

Colocation however, is in a completely different arena.  With this arrangement, you purchase your own server, network equipment, software and all other needed elements needed to run your online business.  Though it shares similarities with the managed dedicated server environment, you are responsible for setting up the hardware and configuring the software.  A colocation host commonly does note provide these components, and often, they do not dictate what can or cannot be purchased, leaving you free to choose the items best suited for your needs.  After getting the equipment together, it is installed in the provider's data facility, a task the company often assists with.  You get an adequate power supply for the equipment, multiple IP addresses dedicated to your business and an uplink that enables your network equipment to be connected to the internet.  A reliable colocation provider runs a tight infrastructure, keeping their data center staffed 24/7 with redundant systems to prevent overheating, theft or damage and keep the operation going in case of a power failure.  Most companies offer basic support but you are primarily responsible for keeping up the hardware and your applications.  Because of this, you are typically allowed 24-hour access to make upgrades and repairs whenever they are needed.

In short, the colocation host provides you with a facility to store your equipment, which they are responsible for maintaining.  Their job is to make sure the physical storage, power and bandwidth you are provided is not compromised.

Managed hosting is a great option for an individual or company that needs to rely on a web host.  Colocation can be viewed as do it yourself hosting as you are essentially your own provider, simply "co-locating" your operation to someone else's data center.  This solution is designed for those who have outgrown a shared or dedicated server yet aren't equipped to host their online business from the home or office.

Tags: dedicated server,  dedicated hosting,  vps,  Shared Hosting,  Managed Hosting,  Colocation Hosting,  managed email