Web hosting (also known as web hosting) is a service provided to users and companies, so that they can store and distribute images, video, information, or any web content on the Internet, using information technology (IT) infrastructure external to that of the contracting party.
The companies that offer this type of service are usually called hosting companies or hosting providers.
These companies offer IT infrastructure to store files, pages, and content, with high-speed Internet connections and bandwidth so that they can be distributed on the Internet.
In addition to the dissemination of content using web servers, Web Hosting has evolved to provide users and companies with mail servers, databases, and even applications under the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. Cloud computing is an evolved and managed form of what was initially only hosting services.
Web hosting: Definition, advantages, and disadvantages
What is web hosting?
Individual users and businesses (small, medium, and large) often need to develop web pages and web applications for various purposes, including marketing, sales, customer service, and internal operations, among others.
For an individual person or small business, having a high bandwidth direct Internet connection, or a high-performance server (computer) directly connected to the Internet is very expensive, and may also exceed their real needs.
The web hosting provider offers the service of “hosting” these pages on its own infrastructure of servers and Internet connections, this allows many companies to share the cost of fast Internet connections.
In this way, users and small businesses can store and publish their web pages and applications at a reasonable cost for their size and operations.
Hosting with domain names
Every website needs a domain name so that it can be located and accessed on the Internet, hosting providers allow you to associate your websites with domain names that you have previously purchased (e.g. .com, .org, etc.) and provide you with the necessary instructions to modify the registry.
Even if you have not yet purchased a domain name, web hosting providers offer you the service of registering your domain name and automatically associating it with your website.
Why do I need web hosting?
If you need an Internet presence for any purpose, for example, if you are developing a new Android or iOS App, need to promote your stores and products, and share resources and communications on a project, you are definitely going to need a web presence.
A web hosting service is an inexpensive way (some services cost less than $5 per month) to achieve this web presence, and you can scale as your needs change.
One of the advantages is that you can upgrade to plans with higher requirements as your business grows, for example, you can start with a minimum plan if you initially have only 50 visitors per day, then as your business grows and you receive more visitors, you can upgrade to plans with more bandwidth and storage space.
Characteristics of web hosting services
Initially, the web hosting service consisted of little more than disk space for you to place your website files and a control panel for the web server.
Since then, web hosting services have grown and evolved, offering multiple plans according to the user’s needs in terms of disk space, the expected number of users, and connection speed. Even today web hosting services have integrated services such as webmail and content management systems such as WordPress and Joomla.
Hosting providers like Bluehost offer the possibility to install WordPress with a single click and have plans dedicated to the specific needs of WordPress users.
Note: PMOInformatia is a participant of Bluehost’s affiliate program, so we receive compensation (in the form of commissions) when a purchase is made through the links.