Today cloud technology allows us to host websites without relying on a single server. Cloud hosting can streamline your workflow processes, improve security, and cut expenses. But many people still have reservations. It helps to first understand how cloud hosting really works.
WHAT IS CLOUD HOSTING?
Hosting websites “in the cloud” can sound vague and uncertain. The phrase leaves you with the impression that your data is just floating around in virtual space. It’s no wonder that people suspect cloud hosting of being insecure. However, these suspicions stem from assumptions, and it is actually clear that Cloud Hosting has a multitude of benefits that outweigh traditional hosting options.
Of course, cloud-stored data isn’t available for anyone to see. Just like traditional hosting, a single service provider manages your data storage. But instead of storing all your data on one physical server, cloud hosting uses resources, including storage and processing power, from multiple servers. If one server goes down, your website data is still safely stored at other locations and can continue functioning as usual.
CLOUD HOSTING VS. TRADITIONAL HOSTING
We already know that cloud hosting uses multiple locations to store data and keep your site running smoothly. In contrast, traditional hosting uses a single server. As you probably know, there are several tiers in traditional hosting, but the most important difference is between shared vs. dedicated hosting.
SHARED HOSTING
Shared hosting is the most budget-friendly option for traditional website management. As the name suggests, you purchase a spot on a shared server with limited resources. Your website can’t exceed a certain bandwidth, CPU, RAM, or drive space. But since you share the same server with multiple websites, you depend on others to only stick to their share. If one website sees a sudden increase in traffic beyond what their plan allows, all websites on the shared server could see decreased speeds or even downtime, as the server struggles to keep up.
DEDICATED HOSTING
Dedicated hosting makes up for the shortcomings of shared plans. You purchase access to your own server, where no one else’s activity will influence how your site runs. Dedicated web hosting gives you greater, a higher CPU, and increased bandwidth. But you’re still tied to a single server location.
Cloud hosting doesn’t have shared and dedicated tiers because they’re unnecessary. When you store multiple copies of data for security and draw on resources from multiple servers, there’s no need to decide between sharing and reserving your own server. If one server goes down, cloud technology automatically uses another server to keep your website running smoothly.
5 REASONS TO MOVE YOUR BUSINESS TO CLOUD HOSTING
1. SECURITY
Cloud hosting keeps your data secure, no matter what happens to your equipment. A common misconception is that cloud data are more vulnerable to attacks. In fact most reports find that both on-premise storage (traditional hosting) and cloud hosting service providers inevitably receive attacks, but on-premise providers averaged almost double the attacks as cloud hosting providers on average.
2. EASY RECOVERY
Because cloud hosting stores your data in multiple locations, lost data is easy to recover. Many providers store at least three copies of your site data, spread across multiple servers. If one location goes down, you can easily retrieve the data from another server. Unless all copies of your data are erased at once, you won’t lose data.
3. CENTRAL STORAGE
Cloud technology eliminates the need to email files or pass around USB drives. It provides a central storage system for files and makes collaboration quick and clean. Just give individual users access as needed.
4. SCALABILITY
Cloud hosting allows you to easily scale up your storage and processing power whenever needed. Shared and dedicated hosting both give you a set amount of space and power. Shared hosting can often become too little, but not many sites need all the resources provided with dedicated hosting. Cloud hosting is a viable alternative that allows you to pay for the exactly the resources you need, no more, no less.
5. CUT EXPENSES
Finally, cloud hosting cuts down on costs while giving you service that just as good, if not better, than traditional servers. By not running your own server, you eliminate capital costs. Your service provider is responsible for managing the costs of the equipment, not your business. You also save on hardware, power, and staffing, since these are managed by your provider, too.
More businesses than ever understand the value of cloud hosting. Making the transition from traditional hosting to cloud technology is quick, surprisingly easy, and doesn’t have to be done by yourself. For a free estimate, contact our team of experts today.
