When building a website, you have to make a number of decisions, and choosing a hosting package is among the most important ones. There are a lot of them -most of which we have covered extensively- and cloud web hosting is among the most popular ones lately. But what is it? How does it work? Is it really the best option for you? In this article, you will be able to find the answers to all these questions, and much more!
Here is all you need to know about cloud web hosting solutions…
What is Cloud Web Hosting?
In simplest terms, cloud web hosting hosts your website on a virtual server. If you have read our post about web hosting, you should know by now that traditionally, websites are hosted on physical servers. Also called cluster server hosting, cloud web hosting is a relatively new technology and uses cloud resources to make websites and applications accessible.
Want to learn more? Great! More details below…
How Does Cloud Web Hosting Work?
The keyword here is virtualization. It is a technology that divides a physical server into multiple virtual servers. These virtual servers are called cloud servers. These cloud servers connect with each other and create a network that hosts the site. So, instead of hosting your website on a single server, cloud web hosting lets you host it on a network of connected servers, which means much better flexibility, and, of course, scalability.
Private Cloud vs. Public Cloud
Private cloud hosting is a type of cloud computing where the cloud infrastructure is dedicated to a single organization. Public cloud hosting is a type of cloud computing where resources are made available to the general public over the Internet. Key differences between private and public cloud include:
- Control & Customization: Private clouds are more customizable and under the control of the organization. Public clouds are more standardized and controlled by the provider.
- Security & Compliance: Private clouds are considered more secure as the organization has more control over the infrastructure. Public clouds are generally secure but may not meet specific security and compliance requirements.
- Cost: Private clouds can be more expensive due to the need for dedicated hardware, software and staff. Public clouds are generally more cost-effective as resources are shared among many users.
- Scalability & Accessibility: Public clouds are highly scalable and accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection. Private clouds may have limited scalability and may require a VPN to access.
Cloud Computing Service Models
There are three main types of cloud computing models; IaaS (Infrastructure as Service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), and SaaS (Software as a Service).
IaaS
The most common first step to the cloud world, the IaaS model lets an organization rent the IT infrastructure from a cloud provider on a pay-as-you-go basis. Opting for an IaaS solution will save money on hardware costs, and provide the organization with the flexibility of easily scaling their IT sources when needed.
PaaS
PaaS model supplies on-demand environments to developers so that they can develop, test, and manage software applications. Like IaaS, PaaS includes infrastructure as well. This approach allows developers to easily create applications, without having to worry about managing the infrastructure of servers, network, storage, etc.
SaaS
Software as a service model basically makes it possible to get software applications over the Internet. With this method, a cloud provider hosts the software application and its infrastructure and handles things such as upgrades, security patchings, etc. Users are able to connect to the application via their PC, smartphone, or tablet.
Pros and Cons of Cloud Web Hosting
Not sure if cloud web hosting is right for you or not? Make sure to check out its pros and cons before making your decision!
Here are they:
Pros
😊 Very flexible- Cloud web hosting can easily scale to keep up with sudden spikes in traffic and/or seasonal performance demands. In case there is high traffic, the load will be spread across the cloud servers, which will prevent performance issues.
😊Better uptime- Because your website will be hosted on a network of servers instead of just one, you will enjoy better uptime. If a server goes down, the other servers will cover it, and your website will be online!
😊More secure than physical servers- As you will be hosting your website(s) and applications in a virtual environment, you will be safe against physical malfunctions, disasters, etc.
😊Tailored pricing- With cloud web hosting, you pay for the resources that you actually use. As it is quite easy to scale, users don’t pay for the resources they don’t really need.
Cons
☹Needs technical expertise- While cloud web hosting is a very good choice for businesses that have the required technical skills, without proper knowledge/IT crew, you usually won’t be able to get the most out of it.
☹Internet dependant- Cloud web hosting is an internet-dependant solution. This means, your organization should have consistent and reliable internet at all times.
☹Might be vulnerable to cyber-attacks- Cloud servers are usually considered secure, but as we all know, it is not uncommon for web-based services to have data breaches, and even the biggest organizations can suffer from severe attacks- as they did in the recent past.
How to Choose the Best Cloud Web Hosting for Your Website?
Making a final decision with all the alternatives out there is no easy task, but, as always, we are here to help! Here are a few important criteria to take into consideration when choosing the best cloud web hosting option for your website:
- Security Measures- Take a detailed look at the security measures offered by providers to guarantee the protection of your data. We can offer Hostinger for a secure Cloud Web hosting experience.
- 24/7 support – Will you get instant help when you need it? Is 24/7 support available via phone? Try to find a provider with a quality support service, as you wouldn’t want to be let down when you need help.
- Scalability- Yes, cloud web hosting is a scalable solution by definition, but not every provider offers the same scalability. Try to get the best offer that will meet your growing needs.
- Server location- Server location affects site speed, which affects both user experience and rankings. Having servers closer to your customers will increase your site’s speed.
- Manageability- Make sure to consider how much time and energy managing a cloud web hosting service will require from you/your IT crew.
Cloud Web Hosting FAQ
Here are some of the frequently asked questions on cloud web hosting solutions:
Q: What kinds of websites use cloud web hosting?
A: Cloud web hosting is usually used by high-traffic websites such as search engines, big online stores, social networks, big news organizations, etc.
Q: How cloud web hosting is different from VPS?
A: With VPS, you have a partitioned virtual part of one physical server. But with cloud web hosting, you will not be limited to a single server, and the resources you will use will be sourced from different machines.
Q: Do providers offer managed cloud web hosting solutions?
A: Yes! If you think you will need help with your cloud server, there are fully managed cloud web hosting options out there that you can choose from!
Conclusion
It is no surprise that Cloud web hosting is a popular choice among large organizations with its increased availability, scalability, very high traffic resilience, and reliability. This is why more and more businesses are migrating to the cloud, to serve their customers the best way possible. Although it is still not perfect – nothing is, really- it looks like cloud web hosting will remain a prominent option for big organizations looking for high reliability and flexibility for a long time.