Cloud Hosting – A Tutorial for Beginners

Cloud hosting has become a preferred hosting solution for the corporate. However, this phenomenon is not restricted to the giants only. In fact, medium sized and some start-ups (especially the ecommerce ones) are also opting for this hosting solution. As a beginner you must be thinking what cloud hosting really means. Let’s start with the obvious question – 

What is Cloud Hosting?

When you host a site or sites on cloud then it essentially means that they are operational not only on a single machine server but a host of interconnected web servers. Here, unlike other traditional hosting solutions such as dedicated or shared hosting, data rendering is done not from a single server but from multiple servers. 

Now that you are aware of the basic concept of cloud hosting in India, it is now important for you to know why you should choose them for your website(s). For this reason you should know what the benefits of cloud are. 

Cloud Hosting Benefits

• Pay what you use – The most important advantage you will get with cloud hosting is the concept of paying only for what you use. There are no fixed charges you have to pay. It may happen that there are fluctuations in the business needs. In such cases, you simply have to change the hosting package and pay only for that amount which you have used. 

• Operating System Choice – Just like traditional hosting solutions, here too you can have multiple choices of operating systems – Windows and Linux. 

• Flexibility – When you choose a cloud hosting solution in India, you enjoy exponential flexibility. This is because of the simple fact that you are now able to control the server configuration with the help of web based interface or API.

• Enjoy Best of Both Worlds – By opting for private cloud hosting solution, you can enjoy the benefits of dedicated hosting solution. If your requirements are not that much extensive then you do not have to bear the heavy burden of cost that comes with dedicated servers. 

What are the differences between Cloud Hosting and Dedicated Hosting?

Dedicated machine servers are usually located in a data center with utmost security as well as stability. This saves your company loads of infrastructural investments. In such a format of server, you have full control, which in turn helps in proper customization of the server’s performance levels. However, in case there is any mishap in that data center or in your machine server then everything goes for a toss. Additionally, it may happen that the requirements of a company grow with enlargement of business. In such a case, you are required to lease or rent a dedicated hosting server which is larger than the earlier one. With such an expansion, the cost also increases. 

However, when it comes to cloud hosting, the main advantage here is that you can use as much as you want and consequently pay only that much which you’ve used. This is the real beauty and efficacy of cloud hosting solution. When it comes to clouds, there are enormous ways of enlarging the capacity needed for tackling downtime. In fact, the storage space or bandwidth can be expanded or lowered without affecting the current set-up. That’s the reason why there is a growing trend among companies and businesses of all sizes (large to small) of opting for cloud hosting in India rather than go for dedicated hosting or even VPS hosting. 

In fact, as a recent phenomenon, Google has also moved to a cloud dominated hosting base especially after they rolled out their Caffeine update.  

For Interesting Topics - 

How Secure is Cloud Hosting?

How cloud hosting works?

Buy Dedicated IP Hosting - For Having Effective Business Identity And Other Multiple Benefits

Overview

Hosting a website on a shared server always has this tricky question in mind of the customer. This question in the mind of the customer also happens to be very controversial in nature. The customer often wonders that whether it is essential for the customer to have a dedicated IP address for her/his website? If yes, then what might be the reason behind it? What are the advantages of having a dedicated IP address for the customer, when the customer can very well have a shared IP address? A dedicated IP address definitely provides the uses with certain very crucial advantages, over the shared IP address. 

About Dedicated IP Address- 

An IP address or an Internet Protocol Address is a numerical label. This numerical label is assigned to every device that is connected with a computer network. These devices having these numerical labels, have to use the Internet Protocol for communicating.

There are two major functions of an IP address. Firstly, an IP address identifies the host or the network interface, and secondly, an IP address provides the location addresses of a computing device or of a web site, connected to the given network. 

IP address is a unique address assigned to every computer, connected to a particular network. Internet Protocol Address or IP address is an important identifier. This identifier identifies the valid location of a computing machine, or of a web site, in a particular network. 

A Dedicated IP address is dedicated to a single computing device or to a single web site for use. This website having a dedicated IP address can be accessed only by entering this dedicated IP address. The user has to use either this dedicated IP address or the domain’s name to access the web site. This dedicated IP address can not be used by any other web site or a computing device.

Difference between Shared IP address and a Dedicated IP address- 

A Shared IP address, as the name suggests, can be shared by a number of web sites, which are residing on a single web server. This leads to many confusions as the web server has to parse the user’s request to the correct web site.

About Dedicated IP Hosting- 

A dedicated IP hosting is or a Dedicated Internet Protocol is a unique internet address. This unique internet address is dedicated exclusively to a particular and single hosting account. A dedicated IP hosting is exactly opposite to the normal configuration of number of hosting accounts, residing on the same server and sharing its IP address among each other.

Advantages of Dedicated IP Hosting- 

A dedicated IP hosting has number of advantages for the customers.

A dedicated IP hosting allows the customer to access the web site any time the customer so needs.

A dedicated IP hosting also allows the customer to access the server directly. The customer does not need to change the settings of DNS for the name of the domain.

A dedicated IP hosting adds class to the reputation of sender of e mails, because the e mail service remains isolated with a dedicated IP hosting.

A dedicated IP hosting provides an effective business identity to the customer. A dedicated IP hosting with a SSL certificate provides security to the data of the customers.

A dedicated IP hosting becomes necessary for running a particular script or an application on the customer’s server.

A dedicated IP hosting helps to support SNI technology, that allows installation of several SSL certificates on an IP address, safely and efficiently, without any mishap of untrusted connections.

Buy Dedicated IP Hosting- 

The business organisations which are interested in their privacy and security of their business data, wish to access their websites any time they want to, and build up a business reputation for themselves, will definitely want to buy Dedicated IP Hosting for their business web sites. There are many reputable and reliable service providers, with many years of experience, who are offering dedicated IP hosting for sale to their interested customers, at an affordable price. 

Read More  - 

Reasons to Buy Dedicated IP Hosting

Single Server Colocation – The Best Move For Companies

Business continuity is the name of the game these days. Latency and lag are words that firmly belong to the past, and for good reason. With growing advancements in technology and impatience of users, even a second’s delay can cost a company thousands of dollars in lost revenue and trust since most users would turn away at the slightest delay in webpage downloading.

Most people are of the opinion that if one has to host their own servers and applications; they would have to go in for building their own data center to be able to do so. However, going for an entire data center is a cost-, labour- and time-intensive move. Not to mention the headaches those usually accompany such a move. If you feel that your operations are not big enough to warrant the expenditures associated with data centers, why not try Single Server Colocation out?

All you have to do is purchase the server and send it to a colocation provider. The provider would place your server in their rack/s. The installation of the operating system and other applications, and the maintenance and upkeep is your responsibility. However, you can enter into an agreement with the provider who will provide you with bandwidth, data transfer, power, etc. Payment for these services can be made monthly or quarterly – you can decide on that in concurrence with the provider.

Most such agreements or contracts are usually for a year; however, some providers offer flexile plans too. There are several benefits of Single Server Colocation. Here are some of them:

• As you would be sharing the services offered by the provider with a number of other clients, the costs incurred would be quite less.
• Most providers employ bandwidth lines from multiple services, the chances of excellent availability at all times are quite high.
• You will save on safety and security costs since that is checked by the provider, who usually employ multi-layered systems to safeguard their clients’ servers.
• Scalability is not an issue with Single Server Colocation services, since if you feel the need to add more power to your operations; you can just request the provider for more server space to host additional servers.
• Some providers offer a centralized monitoring system to their clients, making remote access an easy task.

In all, this move is beneficial is many ways and the disadvantages are few.

Why You Must Buy Dedicated IP Hosting

When you buy dedicated IP hosting you can have several benefits for your business. Before delving more into the benefits, learn more about what exactly an IP address is and how it works.

When a computer is connected to the internet, it is assigned a unique IP (Internet Protocol) address that enables it to communicate with the other internet users. It typically is a 32-digit numeric address that is separated by dots after every four digits.

Two types of IP:

In the web hosting platform, the IP addresses are available in two forms. One is the shared IP address. As the name suggests, your website shares one common IP with several other websites. The other option is just opposite. Suppose you buy dedicated IP hosting, your website will be assigned a unique address that is exclusively yours.

The dedicated IP is also called static or fixed IP. An IP address is not mandatory for every type of business so the web hosting providers do not include its costs in their plan costs.  While some charge extra for a dedicated IP, many top providers absorb the charges when the client buy some hosting services. 

Who must buy dedicated IP hosting:

Generally, if you are hosting on a VPS or dedicated server, you are automatically given an individual dedicated IP address.

It is only in the shared hosting that the problems can arise. In case, you are sharing the server with a frequent spammer, all the websites on the shared server will be blocked and banned from using the internet. This could disrupt your business and cause a damage to your reputation as well as result in monetary losses.

It is mandatory for every e-commerce store to have an SSL certificate to enable them to accept payments online. For an SSL, it is necessary to have an IP address. Google has made having SSL certificate as one of the factors for its search engine rankings. It builds up your brand s reputation.

 

Gaming and chat servers require a dedicated IP address. There could be a possibility of needing a static IP to run certain scripts.

Static IP and SEO:

There have been contradictory statements regarding the impact on SEO when you buy dedicated IP hosting. SEO is crucial for every website. Some industry experts dismiss the theory that a dedicated IP will improve search engine rankings. However, as mentioned earlier, a static IP is required for SSL certificate, which in turn, does reassure a visitor that a site is secure to do business with.

However, there are several websites running successfully on a shared IP but with a fixed IP, you are in control and know your site will never have any risks of suddenly going offline for no fault of yours. 

What You Can Do with Your VPS

VPS, an acronym for virtual private servers, comes as a useful platform for web hosting. It is an obvious choice for the small businesses that have outgrown the shared hosting and need more flexibility and resources. It works well for a business looking for a secure environment to house their mission-critical applications.

How it is built and how it works:

A physical server is split virtually into two or more parts each of which comes with their own copy of operating system and are provided with dedicated resources. This means even though you share the server like in shared hosting, virtual servers work more efficiently as you do not run the risk of your site slowing down due to a neighbour pulling more resources.

Control is with you at lower costs:

With a VPS, the customers get root access to the server. You can use your team of technical experts to configure and customize it in a manner you find suitable for your business. You can install your own applications so long as they do not contradict the terms of service laid by your host. Having control over the server allows you to use it for any purpose within your resource capacity. You normally get this feature with a dedicated server but there is a huge difference in the cost.

Complete privacy and isolation: 

When you buy a VPS, your website will be sharing the server with other websites like in shared hosting. However, unlike in shared hosting, your website has more seclusion and privacy since each website is housed in individual containers where no outsider can gain entry to your site.

There are many ways you can use the VPS: 

1.Game server: Virtual server is an affordable and reliable way to host your own games setting up your own rules, mods, having control on who can join the game. You could set up your own version of Minecraft server for family and friends.

2.Backup server: Keeping a backup of your applications and data is very vital. You could use your VPS as an external backup server rather than pile up your space with external storage devices.

3.Learning platform: You could use the virtual private servers for developing and experimenting with new codes. You can test your applications for security patches and eliminate bugs if any.

4.Secure your wireless connection: Instead of using the public connections and putting your applications at risk, you could use your VPS as a virtual private network and have a secure browsing. You will have complete peace of mind if you need to access your bank account or work on your applications while travelling or out of your workplace.

5. Internet of Things (IoT): If your business uses lots of digital devices and sensors you could use your virtual server as a single hub for all your internet of things. All the data collected from these devices can be diverted to your VPN and create an easy way to keep a track of your information.

6.  Run your own analytics: Rather than rely on third-party web analytics, you could self-host one deploying some tools which offer features such as visitor tracking-like their stay time, what they search for, location, maximum visits etc.

7. Private sync service: Instead of syncing your personal data across some third-party storage, you could create your own private syncing service using any of the tools available over the web. You will have complete control over your private data syncing it across multiple devices that you own.

The biggest advantage is the price factor as the virtual servers are more cost-effective than the dedicated servers while giving you almost similar features.

Trying a Cloud Server Hosting Demo and other Evaluation Parameters

Cloud hosting is steadily developing as a cool and comfortable solution for data storage and easy and comfortable access. It does not mess with the core settings of the company, does not warrant too much additional support and even does not require resource pumping. And when you try out a cloud server hosting demo, you also realize how simple and convenient it is. However, opting for cloud hosting should always be an informed call. Evaluation must ideally begin with need assessment.

Do you Need Cloud Hosting?

Well, even before you consider a cloud server hosting demo, you need to assess if you actually require a cloud hosting solution or not. Most small and medium sized companies do require cloud hosting. However, here are some basic questions you can put forth:

1. Are you looking for cost effective solutions for data hosting and access?—Most medium sized companies will have restricted IT budgets and cloud hosting will work just fine for them. A cloud hosting solution is cheap and effective. You can host your data on the cloud and enjoy cheap access.

2. Are you seeking remote access?—Most companies today work on flexible models. Reporting to work isn’t necessary always. Officials put in their work hours from home offices and even from Wi-Fi enabled cafes. Therefore remote access to company portals and critical data is necessary. This is where cloud hosting becomes extremely important. When you take a cloud server hosting demo you will learn and understand how flexible a cloud hosting plan actually is. You can download information and access essential stuff from just about anywhere.

3. Are you seeking quick recovery management?—When you host your data on the cloud, recovery management becomes fairly simple. Sometimes, cloud hosting companies provide recovery management services all in one. This makes matters truly simple.

4. Do you have technical knowhow for managing a cloud server plan?—If you do not possess the required technical knowhow or have staff members who are equipped to do the same, you need a managed hosting plan. A managed hosting plan cost more, however, it does provide a host of benefits.

Assessing a Cloud Hosting Solution Provider

Assessing a cloud hosting solution provider is extremely important. Considering that there are several hosting companies to choose from, it is important to select one that can be of use to the company and fall in line with the budget that has been proposed for the same. Here are some aspects to evaluate when we choose:

1. Look for experience: Although a cloud server hosting demo is the best way to test out any hosting plan, it is important to understand that an experienced hosting provider is always your best bet. Experience in dealing with several customers and solution providers is always welcome.

2. Look for diversity in product offerings: Although most plans offered by hosting companies are standardized, having tailor-made diversified plans always helps companies to perform better. However, these may come for an additional price.

3. Look for the best price: The cheapest is not necessarily the best here. You need to source a plan that fits your requirement and offers a cost effective solution too.

4. Look for the best customer service: Customer service is of prime importance and is second to none other when it comes to choosing a cloud hosting plan. You will need customer support round the clock without which serious downtime will become a reality. Consider choosing the hosting provider with the best and the most prompt customer service. In fact, when you choose a cloud server hosting demo, customer service is one of the first things to check upon.

Choose a hosting partner wisely, only when you are completely sure. A cloud server hosting demo always helps.

How To Purchase Affordable Linux VPS Servers

With wide range of VPS server hosting plans and pricing available in the market, it often becomes daunting to select the perfect one for your business. In order to purchase affordable Linux VPS Server, a little research is certainly required. Whether you have small business online, a huge running website or simply a personal blog, there exists a hosting plan for you with the topmost VPS hosting providers.

However, picking the right plan for your business is something that majorly depends on your budget, individual goals and your expectations from the server. When you need a high quality and efficient plan with reliable and affordable functionality, purchase Linux VPS Servers from a reputed hosting provider.

With an ideal hosting provider, you get all the services and features that you need to help your business reach the eyes of potential users online. Before you pay for the hosting plan that suits your requirement, it is essential to know how a Linux web hosting plan can help your and what all advantages it carries.

Here is what you get if you go for Linux server.

All that helps in building a successful website
Linux hosting plans is preferred by most of the business owners and rather anyone who is a technology geek. The reason is simple. It is because Linux servers are the most cost-efficient solutions in the industry. They are renowned to provide all the essential tools to build a successful portal. An abundance of features and that too ay incredibly affordable pricing is what that makes it a preferred one. So, in other words, it I a value for money for anyone who opts for Linux server.

Your service provider will offer you hosting services along with database solutions, email options, tools for e-commerce if needed, unlimited domains and the best one is the round the clock support you get from a professional team of Linux hosting experts. It is recommended not to compromise on any of these features which easily available and offered by the providers in this cut-throat market.

Secure and Safe
Well, this is the most integral feature of the hosting plan. Safety of your data is of utmost significance and this is where Linus again bags kudos. The platform is not only secure but is can save your system from bugs, intrusions, viruses and other common challenges associated with operating system.

An Efficient Web Hosting and unimaginable Price
An ideal hosting provider will also offer all major services to make sure that your website runs without any hassle especially it attracts huge traffic. It also makes sure that the websites run with lowest downtime during peak traffic conditions. The effective infrastructure is created using Apache, MySQL, PHP and ofcourse Linux together. The Linux technology makes the hosting plan a powerful plan with highest and satisfactory level of functionality and performance.

Compatibility of Linux
Linux is compatible and supports a wide range of scripting languages including Perl, Python and Java. With variety of options available, you can choose your language for the website without any constraint of it being compatible with your hosting if it is Linux. At the same time, this one is unbelievably stable and reliable and this is the reason it becomes cheaper to maintain it.

Web hosting solutions come with cPanel hosting control to help the clients manage their servers themselves. One can even go for fully managed dedicated servers and ask for an affordable Linux web hosting plan for the same. Do not forget to ask for some discounts after you choose your plan and are given the final quote.