More About Web Hosting Differences - 1 of 3
by Mitch Keeler

A few Gnomies have been writing me ever since I posted my article about differences in the Web hosting world as it relates to the different plan options you have to choose from. Here’s one of those messages:

Hi Mitch, great article but where are the meat and potatoes? I want to know more about what makes these all different and how to choose the right one. I'm new to the web hosting world so could you help me?

I did take a look back at that article, and after taking a second glance over it I do realize there is more to be said. Lots more. So I have decided over the next three days I will try my best to explain in more depth what is really behind virtual, re seller and dedicated Web hosting.

Virtual Web hosting (sometimes known as shared Web hosting) is what ninety percent of the Internet is run under. These smaller Web hosting accounts are often sold by Web hosts most often because they are low in price and easy to manage. In size they can range from 5 GB of space all the way up to 50 GB or more. These are just facts though, what really is a virtual Web hosting server?

Well, think of that pumpkin pie you had on Thanksgiving. Chances are you did not eat it all by yourself, and if you did, shame on you! You cut the pumpkin pie into separate but equal pieces. This way everybody who wanted some, got some. Think of virtual Web hosting the same way. Instead of having a pie, you have a Web hosting server. The server's bandwidth and disc space is divided up, and your Web hosts sells you one of those divided pieces of proverbial Web hosting pie.

What happens when a Web host runs out of room on the server? The same thing that would happen to the pumpkin pie, well sort of. Instead of cooking up a new pie, the Web host purchases a new Web hosting server and the process starts up again. The server is divided up, people buy the pieces, so on and so forth.

Now that you understand where your virtual Web hosting account comes from, what makes it different from the rest? Well, both dedicated and reseller accounts come with more options. I will go deeper into those later. Also they are split up, much like the pumpkin pie above. The difference is they are split up into bigger pieces.

What should your virtual Web hosting account come with? Many Web host pack on a list of extra features that would probably make your head spin. The two most important things you should look at though are bandwidth and disc space. Many of the other features you receive are pretty standard no mater which Web host you decide to go with. Most often, the Web host will have a table or chart for you to look at so you can see the advantages of their different Web hosting plans.

Is virtual Web hosting the Web hosting for you? More than likely it is. As I said before, ninety percent of the Internet today is made up of virtual Web hosting accounts. If you just want to put up a standard Web page, this is the plan for you.

Tomorrow I will take a look at the world of reseller Web hosting, and explain the truth behind all the marketing hype you read on most Web hosts' Web sites.