What is Cloud Hosting? Benefits and Risks

Website and application hosting was once an affair of subscribing to a digital platform provider and fundamentally renting the use for an individual server or a cluster of computing machines. Web hosting services are new as the internet and the web itself.

Within the previous decade, cloud hosting has become a popular method of hosting and shifting digital assets. It hosts apps or websites on virtual servers across the large cloud server.

Google Cloud offers a wide array of solutions for hosting websites and applications, especially the ability to get a domain registered and managed. Also, those who wish to connect to a global content delivery network for serving content to users with the best performance and least latency are in the cloud hosting.

Defining cloud hosting

Cloud hosting utilizes a dedicated server to make apps and websites available online and utilizing the cloud. It pulls together computing resources from a network of physical and virtual servers. It provides a greater degree of both flexibility and scalability so changes can be quickly made.

In most instances, cloud hosting works on the ‘Pay-as-you-go model’ where teams pay for what they use. They do not have to worry about the least or excess resources provisioned.

Explaining other kinds of web hosting briefly

Typical web hosting is often done on an individual server containing all the website’s files and content. A web browser usually downloads documents and files whenever a user visits the website’s domain.

There are four kinds of web hosting environments, namely:

1. Shared hosting.
2. Dedicated hosting.
3. Managed Servers.
4. Virtual Private Servers (VPS).

Shared Hosting

In shared hosting, an individual server is shared by different website domains connected to the internet. It is an economical option where all websites using it share the costs, but if one website is affected by a cyberattack, the others are damaged due to the bad effect. Scalability is also limited and space is confined.


Dedicated Hosting
In dedicated hosting, a domain leases one or more servers that are not shared with other apps or websites. It gives the possibility of a cheap dedicated server hosting at bargain prices. Though clients are often responsible for managing servers themselves, unmanaged options are becoming quite popular.

Managed Servers

Managed hosting services are similar to dedicated hosting services, but the hosting provider is caring for all the servers’ maintenance. It includes software upgrades, security, and hardware upgrades as well as backup services. This kind of hosting is beneficial for apps and websites which do not have the in-house expertise needed for maintaining servers.


Virtual Private Servers (VPS)
VPS servers are virtual and isolated environments hosted on individual servers. Hosting service providers place a virtual layer on top of the server’s operating system. It helps segregate it into different parts.

These servers offer more control and customization in comparison to shared hosting. Though resource use is limited to an amount defined per user on its specific server, it is referred to as the private cloud.

The modus operandi of cloud hosting

Cloud hosting works via a process known as virtualization. A virtual layer is made on the main server (where content and data are stored). These layers can be easily replicated on the cloud computing network. Even if it is expanding across the world, the process is easy.

What advantages can cloud hosting give to companies?

Here are some worthwhile advantages of cloud hosting that each organization can gladly consider.

It is quite scalable

Cloud hosting does not rely on a single server for content storage and delivery. It is easily scalable to meet a website’s or an app’s demands. How it makes more servers across the cloud network due to rising demand and usage?


The flexibility factor
Cloud hosting gives the freedom to use the best solution required by quickly provisioning parameters of virtual machines across the entire network.


Expenses are controlled
Cloud hosting works on the pay-as-you-go model. It indicates that expenses can be scaled up or down depending on how many resources are used. Web hosting comparatively works on either a monthly or a yearly flat charge.


Improved security measures
Cloud service providers provide robust security in both physical and virtual security forms. It protects websites and app data from bad actors. The security layers include firewalls, identity management plus access control, utilizing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for data transmission, and the like.


Performance and reliability
Cloud Hosting takes advantage of many servers spread across the cloud network. It helps them give clients more reliability and uptime. If one goes down, the other one powers up for service. Cloud hosting also has much better performance, with servers placed in various regions bringing content quickly to users.

Pitfalls of cloud hosting

Cloud hosting indeed has many advantages. But, it also has its disadvantages which need to be taken due to consideration. Let us now read about them in good detail:

Downtime

It is often cited as one of the biggest disadvantages of cloud computing. Downtime is particularly detrimental because it is completely online-based. Service outages are unfortunate occurrences, and there are many reasons for it. An outage on Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2017 cost publicly traded companies up to $150 million dollars. No company is immune to this.


Privacy and security concerns
Cloud service providers always do their best to provide the best security standards along with industry certifications. However, important data and files are stored on their servers. It is a risk, especially if service providers sell them to the highest bidder or leak them out. Each company should address and thoroughly discuss the privacy and security of sensitive data and information.


Cloud servers are potentially vulnerable
Each component of cloud servers and computing is online. It can expose its potentially worrisome vulnerabilities. Even the best teams and companies suffer from data and security breaches and cyberattacks. As cloud computing is like public service, administration skills are not checked before an account is provided.


Concerns over control and flexibility
The whole cloud infrastructure is managed and checked by the cloud service provider. Clients hardly have any control. There are varying degrees of control cloud users have over the servers. A cloud provider’s end-user license agreement (EULA) and its management policies put limits on clients.

Though they can retain control of their applications, data, and services, they do not have the same level of control the vendor has over the back-end.


Clients get stuck with one vendor only in the long run
It is not easy for companies to switch from one cloud provider to another. Companies can find difficulties in shifting services from one vendor to another. Each vendor has differences. It makes migration from one cloud platform to another can create difficulties. Among them are rising costs, configuration problems & technology gaps.



Conclusion
Should companies go for cloud hosting? They can because it allows apps and websites to add or remove resources whenever needed. It includes more RAM, storage space, or support services like data or security.

Cloud hosting also provides flexibility and reliability at reasonable charges. It provides strong data backup and disaster management in comparison to other kinds of hosting on a single server.