A website must be hosted on a web server to be available online. You can buy a hosting server and manage it yourself or opt for a website hosting service. If you buy a server, you can either host it in-house or co-locate it by renting space in a data center.
This is known as Colocation Hosting.
On the other hand, if you purchase a website hosting service, you must choose between various options, including Shared Hosting, VPS Hosting, Cloud Hosting, and Dedicated Server Hosting.
While each of these services has certain pros and cons, Cloud Website Hosting has evolved into a popular name due to its range of benefits.
This article will compare Cloud Hosting and Colocation Hosting to help you make the right choice.
What is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud Web Hosting is a hosting service that stores your site’s data on multiple servers instead of a single server.
This server is backed by a cloud storage network that helps add data redundancy and boosts the reliability of the hosting service .
What is Colocation Hosting?
In Colocation Hosting, the site owner purchases a web server and rents space in a data center to store it.
The management of the server is handled by the site owner or outsourced to a professional server management company.
Colocation vs. Cloud Hosting
Here are the differences between Colocation Hosting and Cloud Hosting Services:
| Feature | Colocation | Cloud Hosting |
| Control | In Colocation Hosting, you own the web server and store it in a data center. This usually involves the data center offering complete control over the equipment and the server.
Hence, you can change the hardware and software as needed at any time. However, you also need to monitor and maintain the server optimally. |
In Cloud Hosting, your website is stored on a shared server. While a cloud network adds power to the server, you have limited control over the hosting environment.
While you can make some changes, the shared server restricts making any major changes. |
| Server and Site Security | Since you own the web server, you can make configuration changes and install any third-party security application to boost the server’s and your site’s security.
Also, since you do not share the server with other users, you don’t have to worry about a ‘bad neighbor.’ |
While Cloud Hosting is known to be a highly secure hosting option, you cannot make configuration changes to the server since it is shared between multiple users. |
| Costs | Colocation Hosting is costlier than buying a web hosting plan since you have to spend on the server and rent space from a data center.
You also have to spend on server management. |
Cloud Hosting Providers offer cheaper plans than Colocation Hosting plans since you rent space on a server instead of purchasing it. |
Summing Up
As you can see, Colocation Hosting offers optimum control over the server, allowing you to create a tailored hosting environment for your site. However, this involves high costs and increased responsibility for server management.
So, if you are planning to purchase a server but do not have space to house it, then Colocation Hosting is a good option.
However, suppose you are looking for a cost-efficient hosting service where you rent space on a web server with instant scalability and high reliability, then Cloud Hosting is a good option. Choose wisely. Good Luck!