Dedicated hosting isn't for everyone. It comes with a high price tag, and it offers features and functionality that not everyone needs. Unless you're starting an online retail business, dedicated hosting is probably too much of an up-front investment, so watch for these signs that it's time to find a Web host.
You Have a Popular Web Site
Most personal users and even many small businesses never need dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is fine for a personal-use site that doesn't have a lot of data and doesn't receive a lot of traffic. However, if you manage to become the next new Internet sensation, your traffic needs may dictate that you need dedicated web hosting. High-traffic Web sites easily exceed the bandwidth limitations of shared providers. When you're shopping for a host, find out how much data transfer you'll get each month, what you'll pay if you go over that limit and whether or not the host offers multiple servers to balance trafffic during peak usage times.
Your Site Is Large
Large Web sites with a lot of data simply may not work on shared-hosting services. If you have a large site with a lot of data; especially video, you may need dedicated hosting just to store it all. Large sites typically go hand-in-hand with high traffic; chances are good that if your Web site is one, it's both, and you need dedicated hosting.
You Want More Control
If you need to control a server exclusively, including allocating resources and implementing specific server-side technologies, dedicated hosting is the only way to do it. In shared hosting, you must share a server and its resources with other Web users. You generally have limited options (or no options at all) to implement server-side technologies, and you have no control over resource allocation. If you're sharing a host with a site that suddenly becomes popular, your site will slow down, frustrating users, and there's nothing you can do to change it. If you want to run analytical tools on your site to measure and track Web traffic, you'll generally need your own server to do it.
You Don't Want to Worry About Security
This is a big deal if you're running an online store. While security with shared hosting may be fine for sites with basic personal or business data, it's totally insufficient for sites that collect personal or credit card information. Dedicated hosting allows you to install strong security measures to protect your data and your customers. You also won't have to worry about hackers getting a back door to your data by attacking another site hosted on the same server.
Finding Affordable Dedicated Hosting Is Challenging
People typically choose shared-hosting providers because they're looking for inexpensive Web site solutions. If you're looking for dedicated hosting, be prepared to spend more for the services. Unmanaged dedicated-hosting services are cheaper, but they only provide hardware and an operating system; they don't include any site management software. Managed dedicated-hosting services are more expensive, but offer everything you need to get your server up and running. Shop around to find affordable dedicated hosting, but make sure it provides everything to meet your needs.
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