Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

February 11, 2010

Common Attributes of Shared Web Hosting

As the internet expands and becomes a larger marketplace for business owners around the world, more emphasis is being drawn towards the efficacy and functionality of web hosting plans. If you are a serious business, owner then you probably already know exactly how important it is to get what you pay for in regards to a web hosting plan. Perhaps the most popular type of hosting plan, and the most affordable is shared web hosting.

Shared web hosting plans let you share a central server with other website owners, thereby decreasing the cost of the hosting plan. Although there are some risks involved with shared web hosting, there are also benefits. The following information will help you decide if shared web hosting is right for you.

Price

The most appealing aspect of a shared hosting plan is by far the price. Shared hosting plans are cheaper than any other hosting plan, with plans starting at only a few dollars per month. Therefore, if you're a small business owner with a small website, then you may want to consider shared hosting. Due to its affordability, shared web hosting is perfect for website owners that have no intentions of expanding or building a large business online, such as bloggers.

Support

Although the support included with shared hosting is not as good as that included with dedicated hosting, it does offer excellent support as a web hosting option. While most web hosting companies offer superb support for their shared hosting plans, it is important to remember that each web hosting company is different, therefore you should consider searching the web for reviews of customer support before deciding upon a shared hosting plan. Another extremely appealing aspect of shared web hosting is the simple learning curve. Virtually anyone can operate a shared web hosting account, as it is the simplest form of web hosting.

Security

Perhaps the least appealing aspect of shared web hosting is it's security capabilities. Since you'll be sharing a server with many individuals, the security of your web hosting plan will not be as good as that provided with a dedicated hosting plan. A prime example of a common security lapse that occurs with shared web hosting is the take down of several innocent sites on the same IP. Since your website will be sharing an IP address with other websites, it will in essence be sharing responsibility with those websites to a certain extent. Meaning, if a website on your IP is suspected of questionable activity, many times the web hosting company or another agency will shut down all sites on that IP. This can result in unnecessary downtime and even the loss of an online business. For this reason, shared web hosting plans are not recommended for online business owners.

Conclusion

While shared web hosting plans may not be for everyone, they do have their uses. If you;re a small business owner and you only need minimal server resources, then shared web hosting may be for you. However, if you own a serious online business, you may want to steer clear of shared web hosting, due to the aforementioned security issues.

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