August 16th, 2021
What if a simple misunderstanding ruined your entire website?
When you're creating a website, nothing is quite as important as the server. And you need to know whether you need a dedicated webserver or a shared webserver.
Not sure how to answer the question? Keep reading to discover the differences between them!
What Is a Shared Webserver?
Our guide is going to help you discover the key differences between dedicated vs shared hosting. First, though, we need to define what these terms mean.
A shared webserver simply means that the server accommodates multiple websites. In fact, there may be many different sites, each with its own domain name, being handled by this single server.
What Is a Dedicated Webserver?
Now that you know what a shared webserver is, a dedicated webserver is very straightforward. A dedicated server is one that is devoted only to your website.
In some cases, this may still be in the hands of a company that manages multiple website. But the server being "dedicated" means that your site has the exclusive use of a particular computer, and the server in question will only be handling your own website.
Now that you know what dedicated and shared webservers are, let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each one.
Pros of Dedicated and Shared Webservers
There are many different pros to using shared webservers. But it mostly comes down to two key benefits: cost and expertise.
Shared webservers are always cheaper than dedicated webservers. This is partly why so many individual websites start out on a shared server. And these servers require very little technical expertise to use and maintain, which may be beneficial to certain people and companies.
Meanwhile, the primary pros of dedicated webservers are functionality and customizability. With a dedicated server, you typically get better site performance because none of the server's resources are going towards other websites. And you get many more options to customize the server and provide a better experience to visitors.
Cons of Dedicated and Shared Webservers
Now you know the benefits of both shared and dedicated webservers. Now, let's look at the drawbacks.
As we alluded to earlier, a shared server means shared resources. This can ultimately affect your own site's performance, especially if there are issues with a "neighbor" website. And like sharing a house, sharing the same server with others opens you up to some additional security vulnerabilities.
Dedicated webservers offer better security and performance, but they are more expensive than shared servers. They also require additional technical expertise to both use and maintain compared to shared servers.
Your Next Move
Now you know the differences between a dedicated webserver and a shared webserver. But do you know who can help you with all of your server needs?
Here at Sectorlink, we specialize in taking your website to the next level. To see what we can do for all your server and hosting needs, contact us today!