What’s the difference between cloud hosting and a regular web server?

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In recent years, there has been a lot of buzz generated about cloud hosting. It seems to be all anyone is talking about when it comes to web servers. However, if you’re new to owning a website or are looking into hosting for your soon to be launched website, you may be wondering: What’s the difference between cloud hosting and a regular web server?

Cloud hosting is network-based hosting. Large groups of remote servers are networked to allow for the centralized storage of data. Clouds fall into three basic groups including public, private and hybrid. Cloud hosting is popular because it is cost effective and offers what many people see as a number of advantages over a regular web server.

A dedicated regular web server is the traditional form of web hosting. A website owner buys or leases a web server from a provider and pays fees for the dedicated server space. With cloud hosting, it is more of an on demand sort of arrangement. Cloud hosting is scalable depending upon the volume of traffic your site receives. As a result, it is often more affordable.

Because cloud hosting relies on a multitude of virtual servers, cloud hosting is often heralded as being more reliable than a dedicated regular web server. However, hosting reliability is a source of debate. You’ll want to do your own research in terms of whether or not to go with a cloud hosting provider or a dedicated server provider for your web host.

Dedicated servers are generally seen as the more secure option because you are paying for a dedicated server. Cloud hosting relies on a virtual network of servers, which makes it inherently less secure. Still, many rely on cloud hosting and find it to be plenty reliable and secure for their needs.

In terms of performance, there is little difference between cloud hosting and a regular web server. You won’t likely be able to notice any difference between the two in the performance of your website. Both cloud hosting and a regular web server can slow down over time, but both can be cleaned up and resume optimal performance speeds.

Perhaps the most notable difference between cloud hosting and a regular web server is the cost. Regular web servers tend to be more expensive. You are paying for a dedicated hosting space with regular web servers. However, with cloud hosting, you are paying for the space you actually use. As a result, it is often more cost effective for many website owners.

Like anything else, it is a good idea to talk to your web development professional to discuss each option and make an informed determination of which will best serve your needs. Do you rely on cloud hosting or do you use a regular web server to host your website?