Well, think of web hosting in the same logic as renting a stall for you to set up your business on a street. The difference is that we are not renting stalls in web hosting instead we are renting storage space on a server.
Web hosting therefore simply refers to storing data on a server so that it can be accesses remotely. This data is mainly in form of, but not limited to HTML files, images, PHP files e.t.c. The computer that harbors the website is commonly known as a server because it presents the stored files to people on the internet upon request for the same. You can as well think of it as a pest and a host. The same logic that would apply on a tick that sucks blood from a cow, is the same logic that would apply when referring to a website and a host. This point can be supported by the fact that a website utilizes resources offered by the hosting company. Several Examples of web hosting companies include:
| Company | Specifications | Support | Price | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BlueHost |
| 24/7 support and money back guarantee. | $2.95 | |
| JustHost |
| 24/7 support. | $3.50 | |
| InterServer |
| 24/7 support. | $5.00 | |
| FatCow |
| 24/7 support. | $4.08 | |
| iPower |
| 24/7 support and 30 day money back garantee | $3.75 | |
| Liquid Web |
| 24/7 support. | $66 | |
| iPage |
| 24/7 support for North America clients. | $1.99 |
So if you had your website on your personal computer would that be hosting? Absolutely. But a myriad of challenges come along with such practice. These challenges include:
- Blackouts – Not unless you have a reliable power back up supply, your website will be unavailable to your clients on an event of power shortages.
- Dynamic IP address – An IP address is like an identity for your personal computer. This address keeps on changing from time to time making it difficult for your web visitors to find your website.
- Slow Upload connection – Since you are using your PC as your server, it ought to behave like one. One feature about a server is that it has a very high up-load speed which is essential for sending files to requesting clients. In as much as you might have a fast internet connection at your home, this will only relate to download speed whereas the latter will be slow.
- Computer malfunction – In case your computer breaks down, it will also make you web pages unavailable on the internet and if it will take you a month to repair it then your website will be absent for the same duration of time.
- Security – Hosting your website on your local computer will cost you tones of money to set up the security. And if by any chance you run a server without adequate security measures put in place, your website will be a soft spot for hackers who might cause you massive damage like stealing your credit card information or your clients personal information.
These are some of the main challenges that one is bound to face if they decide to host their websites on their local computers. This leads us to our next question;
When do web hosting companies come in handy?
From the above, it is evident that hosting a website on a personal computer is roughly 5% possible if it is not impossible. The challenges accompanied by hosting a website on a personal computer can be countered by simply utilizing the services offered by web hosting companies such as the ones in the table above
How exactly are these limitations counter-attacked?
- Blackouts – all web hosts have powerful automated generators that ensure web pages are never unavailable to clients even when serious power breaks occur.
- IP address – Web hosts usually give each website a dedicated IP address which ensures that the website is easily found and its identity address remains constant at all times.
- Super-fast connections – The upload and download speeds at most web hosting companies are ultra-fast. This makes it possible for them to handle multiple page requests at a go without crushing.
- Experts dealing with malfunctions – Web hosts always have a team of experts employed to ensure that their systems are up and running at all times. With such measures in place, hardware malfunction will never be a threat to the availability of your website on the internet.
- Security – Most servers employ state of the art security systems that monitor and detect any malicious activities on the servers and act on them accordingly.
Bonus info Web hosting come in different types. Check out this piece of knowledge on The Different types of Web Hosting.
If you need any clarification do not hesitate to discuss it in the comments section. As well if you found this piece of article useful, please share with your networks and remember a piece of knowledge a day makes you wiser everyday.
