When you first look into the world of Web Hosting you will probably expect something fairly straight forward, somewhere to park your site, and someone to run the backend for you - if only! As the industry has developed and more people have come on line, from the simplest personal diary blog to the massive corporations, needs have changed, opening up niches markets for specialist companies.

As a consequence there are a number of different types of hosting available, which include :-

Free Web Hosting

A very simple service, with minimal space and bandwidth, which is often supported by displaying advertising on your site(s) on behalf of the host.

Shared Web Hosting Services

For the smaller end of the market, this is probably the most popular type of hosting, offering a bridge between dedicated hosting and free hosting. Due to the way the hosting works, a large number of sites can be serviced from one host at any one time, sharing bandwidth, space and resources (such as add on programs, etc).

Reseller Web Hosting

Reseller hosting has always been a fairly large market and continues to grow in size. This type of service allows a webmaster to basically “hire” resources and server space from a host, in exchange for an agreed monthly fee. The reseller is then able to use the server themselves and / or sell space (at there own price) to other web users. It offers the chance for many internet users to set-up their own business, an opportunity which large numbers have taken up.

Virtual Dedicated Server

The virtual dedicated server again bridges a gap between the shared hosting service and a dedicated server. Virtual dedicated hosting allows a server to be “split” between a variety of users, giving each of them access to a specific area of the server. In effect a number of small “dedicated” servers within one large dedicated server.

Dedicated Hosting Server

Once out of the price range of many, dedicated hosting is now firmly on the radar of many internet users. This service offers a dedicated server looking after the needs of one customer, and access to all root directories, etc. While the customer will have full use of the server, they do not actually own the server.

Managed Hosting Service

This often involves the outright pruchase of a server, or in many cases a leasing agreement, by the customer, While the customer will have full access to the root directories, etc, they will not have total control of the server, which will be controlled by the host provider. This is to ensure that security and services are not compromised by inexperienced customers changing settings, etc.

Colocation Hosting Service

This is perhaps one of the least advertised hosting services available and involves the physical renting of space in a storage facility. The server is owned by the customer, and the customer rents space in say a data center, where services such as power, temeprature control and internet access would be provided. Normally the customer would arrange for their own maintentance / systems experts to visit the server on a regular basis.