The difference between shared hosting and virtual servers

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If you are new to Web hosting, or perhaps just unfamiliar with the lingo and technology, we can help you choose the hosting plan that is right for you. Here is a brief introduction to one of the most basic differences among common types of hosting accounts.

It's important to understand the difference between "shared Web hosting" and "managed Web servers" (or VPS's - virtual private servers).

"Shared hosting" is by far the most common type of hosting service available (see our Hosting Plans section). It simply means that a hosting account is "sharing" the resources of a Web server with other accounts (Web sites) on that server. If done properly and with care, this allows hosting companies to use an economy of scale to offer low cost, yet high quality Web hosting plans. The vast majority of personal and business Web sites can have their needs met by one of these plans. Beware of hosting companies that overload servers with too many accounts, however, as this can cause problems for all accounts on the server and possibly make your Web site and email slow or even unavailable.

"Managed Web servers", or "virtual private servers" (VPS's), are similar to the shared hosting concept in that they are sharing space and resources on a larger Web server, but from a software standpoint they are more like dedicated Web servers, thus making them a great value.

Our true Dedicated Servers simply mean that you are NOT sharing resources with another account on the same server, you get 100% of the physical and software resources of the entire server.

Unlike shared hosting plans, on our virtual or dedicated servers you can:

- install your own software
- have complete telnet/SSH access
- modify the Apache configuration file
- set up virtual sub-hosts (run multiple Web sites)
- have unlimited users
- have multiple IP addresses and SSL certificates
- and much, much more, all of which is NOT possible on a true shared hosting plan.

Of course, we can manage all this for you, so you can concentrate on running your business, or you can take control of the Web server yourself. This gives anyone needing the capability to host multiple Web sites or one or two powerful Web sites the option of having your own Web server at a fraction of the true cost.

Whatever your hosting needs are, we're here to help. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about which hosting plan may be best for your specific needs.

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