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Web hosting can be
categorized into several general types: free, shared, reseller, virtual private
servers, dedicated server, co-located servers and on-premises hosting.
Free hosting is
extremely limited but useful for some types of affiliate activity. Free web
hosts typically require their own ads on your site and only allow limited
methods to upload content. Editing and content modification may be more
difficult as well. Usually there are tightly controlled disk space and traffic
limit restrictions for free web hosts.
Shared hosting is the
shared use of a single server by tens, hundreds or thousands of independent web
sites. Shared hosting typically has clearly defined service level requirements,
traffic requirements and system resource requirements. Don't place a database
driven web site on shared hosting as you will typically exceed the system
resource requirements almost from the first day. Shared hosting is typically the
cheapest of the paid hosting services and you can usually find very inexpensive
deals on this type of hosting. Check our
specials page
for the latest in shared hosting bargains.
Reseller hosting is a
service designed to allow business to become web hosts themselves. Typically a
reseller business is allocated a large amount of space and bandwidth that the
reseller divides up among their customers. A reseller may have dedicated or
shared servers. A reseller will usually provide differentiation through better
service, better focus on a small market segment (gamers, weblogs, etc.) or may
resell to a smaller component of their larger business.
Virtual private server
hosting provides what appears to be your own server but is actually a
virtual environment sharing resource with other users on a single physical
computer. A virtual private server offers the affiliate the ability to own their
entire environment and load programs and make changes without impacting other
users. This type of service provides dedicated CPU and memory resources as well.
Virtual hosting can provide a very affordable solution when compared to a
dedicated or co-located server with similar benefits.
Dedicated hosting is
the least restrictive web hosting environment. Outside of staying within the web
hosts content guidelines for pornography or copyrighted content, you are free to
configure the dedicated environment to suit your affiliate program's needs. With
this unlimited environment comes a much steeper cost, but this allows for
maximum configurability.
Co-located hosts allow
you to purchase, configure and assemble your server and ship it to the hosting
facility for on-going internet connectivity. This type of server offers all of
the benefits of a dedicated environment plus you pay for the hardware. This
hosting plan requires top tier administration talent and is typically the least
cost effective option until you begin co-locating more than a few servers.
On premises hosting
can be as simple as a web server at your office or home. Usually with business
class cable service, you can get your own static IP address and use a single web
server to deliver multiple web sites to the internet. This can be an in
expensive entrée into web hosting, but as your traffic grows it can quickly
become the most expensive method requiring dedicated technical staff.
Content provided by the Affiliate Landing Page Handbook.
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