Granted that you have not spent the last few years hiding in a cave sans computer and Internet connection, you should be familiar with cloud hosting or must have at least heard of it. However, regardless of whether or not you know what it is, chances are that you’ve already been exposed to this kind of hosting service. Google, after all, is among the biggest and earliest proponents of “the cloud.” So if you’ve ever performed a Google search or used Gmail, then yes you do have experience with a cloud-hosted site.
But what exactly is cloud hosting?
Simply put, it is a type of web hosting that utilises multiple linked servers to house and support a website. Instead of being reliant on a single physical server in the way that traditional hosting services are, cloud hosting taps into the virtually unlimited computing power of many servers grouped together to form a network or a “cloud.” These servers are usually not gathered in one place but are distributed in various data centers, hence directing the focus away from the state and location of the computer hardware to the website’s condition and upkeep.
So, why choose cloud hosting?
For several reasons, two of which are scalability and performance. With the processing capabilities of numerous servers at your disposal, there is no reason why your website should be restrained by the limitations of a dedicated/shared server. Cloud hosting offers you as much processing power as you need to make it easy for your site to handle a surge in usage. You won’t have to worry about the server crashing when there’s an increase in traffic or suffer the burden of migrating to a different server. You can expand and add on a new server when the need arises. Resources are available on demand, and you can access them when necessary, with no disruption or disturbance to your site’s performance.
Cost is another area where cloud hosting stands out. To grasp just how cost-effective cloud hosting can be, think of how you’d decide on a gym membership. If you were certain that you’d only have time to hit the gym twice a week and would only be using standard equipment, would you go for an all-access membership package that allows for unlimited visits or would you choose a cheaper deal that suits your needs better? You’d choose the latter of course, knowing that if you ever do find yourself having an odd extra time for gym or feeling the unusual hankering to make use of the sauna facilities, you can always opt to pay extra fees for the additional visit or use of facility. Paying extra might seem impractical at first, but it would actually prove to be cheaper in the end than paying in advance for services you think you might use but would hardly ever do.
The same principle applies to cloud hosting. Instead of renting a server and paying a fixed price even though the amount of resources you employ fluctuates, you only pay for what you have actually used. Instead of shelling out for inactive equipment or unexploited bandwidth, your costs are restricted to those that are in fact at work for your website. Since you only have to pay for what you use, you will not have to deal with superfluous expenses.
Economical and scalable, cloud hosting is an option worth considering if you have a website or are planning on building one. With the focus away from computer hardware, you can concentrate on managing your site and running your business. Minimal hassle, many benefits–what you can look forward to if you’re hosted in the cloud.
For further information on the various services provided by Digital Pacific, including domain names and web hosting solutions you can visit our website or call us on 1300 MY HOST for a friendly chat.
