What is Cloud Hosting?
In simpler terms, the cloud is an electronic structure that can store data across multiple computers. This data is then served up through networks such as the internet. In effect, these server farms act as one large storage, processor and space with your website data spread out across a cluster of multiple servers. This means that if one server goes down, no information or capacity is lost. This also means that all your data, applications, email or software are accessible anywhere on the go.
Why cloud hosting
Flexibility
Traditional hosting services offer limited bandwidth. Cloud hosting scales to accommodate traffic spikes or seasonal demands.
Pay-as-you-go model
Users only pay for the resources they use by the month or hour. This setup differs from the flat rates of traditional hosting.
Reliability
Hardware failures do not cause downtime because sites and applications are hosted on a network of servers. Traffic travels across separate network interfaces, where it is segregated and secured.
What are the Advantages of Cloud Hosting over Traditional Hosting?
Some of the benefits of cloud hosting are;
Increased Server Uptime
Your website’s performance is directly correlated to the server uptime. The system of interconnected servers ensures there is no single point of failure. If any server goes down or cannot take your request, another server from the cluster takes over by default keeping everything running smoothly. With traditional hosting, however, any downtime or failure on your single server could result in extended downtime for your applications and website.
Cost- Efficiency
With cloud hosting, you do not have to worry about capital expenditure on infrastructure – providers handle that for you. Additionally, you only need to pay for the services and resources that you are actually using. In a traditional hosting model, however, you need to invest in infrastructure and also pay a fixed amount for services and resources regardless of whether you use them.
Increased Security
In the traditional hosting model, resources and CPU capacity on a single server are shared among multiple websites. Additionally, you need a private dedicated server to secure sensitive information which is costly.
Cloud hosting, on the other hand, comes with an established infrastructure with multiple layer security; data, network, application and physical security. Cloud service providers also provide secure and encrypted solutions, backup recovery, firewalls, identity management and data isolation and storage segregation.
Scalability of Resources
Cloud hosting makes it incredibly easy to instantly allocate resources in accordance with the emerging needs of a website or application. You can add or reduce resources like storage, bandwidth, RAM etc. from the available resources in the cluster of servers.
A traditional hosting setup has rigid specifications and limited resources. You cannot instantaneously ramp up resources if the need arises.
Independence of Location
Traditional hosting servers are tied to a fixed location. For this reason, you need to choose a server that is fairly close to you so as not to compromise your websites loading speed.
Cloud hosting servers, on the other hand, are available and accessible via the internet and with any PC or mobile device, from any location around the world.
Increased Group Collaboration
Through cloud hosting, employees can access and work on the same documents or applications from any location around the world. This increases flexibility in work practices and productivity.
This feature is not feasible in traditional hosting.
Backup and Disaster Recovery
The cloud hosting multi-server setup allows for data to be automatically backed up. This provides for a fast and easy disaster recovery feature.
In the single-server setup of traditional hosting, disaster recovery is not feasible as there is only one server that hosts your data and applications. For disaster recovery, you need to make special arrangements for backup.
Latest Technology
Cloud hosting takes advantage of the latest technologies. You can automatically integrate and customise your software applications based on your business’ needs and preferences. This includes software versions, server upgrades and processing power.
Traditional hosting does not allow you to automatically customise or upgrade.
Environmentally Friendly
- Cloud hosting reduces an organisations carbon footprint by eliminating the need to maintain in-house servers.
- Cloud servers are utilised to full capacity which saves energy and the environment.