server are also able to run any kind of script they choose. This is especially important for businesses that are developing new scripts and need to test them without affecting other websites.

Shared Hosting

Websites sharing a single server are sharing all the resources of that computer. Shared places several websites on the same server, all sharing the same disk space, bandwidth, and IP address. The host will limit each site to a specified amount of disk space and bandwidth to be used per month, in order to provide sufficient service to all the shared sites. Sites that exceed their limit may be charged a substantial penalty or even temporarily closed down.

The number of sites being shared by a particular server is not as important as the amount of traffic each is receiving. A server 200 low traffic sites will respond much faster than 1 with 50 sites receiving lots of visitors.

Arriving requests are dealt with on a first-in-first-out sequence. If there is a large queue, there will be a long wait as each server has a limited amount of bandwidth. The amount of traffic your neighbors receive can quickly impact how well your web site is displayed.

Because the cost of operating the server is divided amongst many customers, shared is a lot cheaper than dedicated. It's available for as little as $2 a month, while dedicated can run over $100 each month.

There are risks associated with shared hosting. If 1 of the neighbors runs a programmed script that goes bad, the entire server could be affected. In extreme situations this could shut your site down for a while. If a neighbor is banned from search engines for spamming tactics, that could also affect everyone sharing that IP address. It's a good idea to check with companies first, to see what their policy is about third-party scripts and inappropriate activities.

How To Decide Between The 2 Options

Large complicated websites that expect to receive 1,000 or more visitors a day should opt for dedicated hosting. It's also a good choice for developers who expect to research and test new internet technologies.

Small companies and individuals with small sites are probably better off with shared hosting. The cost is certainly more reasonable. Just be sure to choose a host with a good reputation who will protect your site from others that could put your site at risk.
Visit Hosting Solutions to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer, visit his website at Website Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

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