What is Shared Hosting?

If you have been looking around for a web host, you are likely to have come across the term Shared Hosting. This is one of the most common web hosting options that can be found out there. I have previously written an article in which I point out some of the differences that exist between Shared, Dedicated and VPS hosting. I thought it best to, in this article, focus on Shared Hosting and explain what it means, for the benefit of beginners who are looking to launch their websites. So, what is Shared Hosting?

Shared Hosting Explained

The term Shared Hosting refers to a type of hosting where the physical infrastructure that is used in web hosting is shared among a large number of clients.

How Web Hosting Works

In order to better understand Shared Hosting, it is important for you to first understand how Web Hosting in general works.

Web Hosting is offered by (usually) large web hosting companies. You can check out some of them on this page, where I talk about the best web hosting companies that can be found out there.

Servers

These web hosts, such a Bluehost, DreamHost and our own host, InterServer, have servers, on which they rent space out to people who are looking to have their websites or blogs housed somewhere. They also offer a number of specialized services, such as the software infrastructure that is needed in order to play host to a wide range of sites.

What is a Server?

A server is a computer that offers services to other computers. In order for them to offer the kinds of services that they do, web hosting companies need very large servers.

In fact, some run or rent out what are referred to as Server farms. A server farm can be described as a group of servers that are in one location.

So, what is Shared Hosting?

With this knowledge, the question; what is Shared Hosting becomes easy to answer. It is a type of hosting where infrastructure is shared among a wide range of customers. This is opposed to dedicated hosting, where each server is reserved for only one customer? So, how many people can be hosted on one server? The answer can run into the thousands?