Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

December 08, 2010

Exposing the Weaknesses of Shared Hosting

Shared Hosting is an excellent, not to mention an inexpensive, way to begin in any online venture; however there are several weaknesses you should know about before jumping into a lengthy hosting contract.

Security Issues

By far the largest weakness of shared hosting is the inherent security issues that plague this method of getting your content placed online. The fact that you must share an IP address and security certificates alone, is a tremendous drawback to using a shared system to meet your web hosting needs. Additionally, if the domains contained on the server are each able to run scripts such as PHP or PERL, or if the server allows shell access, a hole will be opened up that can allow for security breeches.

If the host uses prepackaged software, the potential arises for your files to be accessed by others who are sharing your server.  By allowing the software to read, write, and execute files from the server level this can leave your files at risk.  There’s simply no way to guarantee full protection from your files and data on a shared server; although developers can currently create software that minimizes the risks involved.  Needless to say, security policies can limit some of the available ports as well as connections.

Shared Resources’ Dilemmas

Another major weakness is the fact that your memory, CPU and storage space is also shared.  Being that’s completely out of your control means that if another site, hosted on your server, all of a sudden spikes with a need for memory, it can make your site difficult to access for  visitors.  Hosts typically will set limits on storage space, but there isn’t a way to necessarily prevent these needs for memory and processing power.

Limited Software Use

Since you have no direct control over the server, you are also limited in choice of software available.  The host will determine what software packages the company wants to use on the server and you will then have to choose from a limited selection.

Overall, shared hosting can be a perfect entry level solution for getting your website online; however, there are many limitations to this configuration. Since you have no physical access to your server, it’s important to check out the reputation of the host.  If they are unresponsive to maintenance issues, chances are it can cost you in lost revenue and never-ending headaches.

Seek out references from others that have used the host you are considering and ask them about their experiences, as they can benefit you in knowing who you will be doing business with before signing any agreement!

Tags: Shared Hosting,  shared hosting security,  shared ip,  security policies