Technological advances in the last few years have enabled more and more entrepreneurs to make a living on the Internet through e-commerce sites or blogs. One of the consequences of this has been a massive need for server space. In recent years, cloud hosting has been created as a solution for this. Cloud hosting has several advantages over typical shared hosting.
With typical shared hosting, all clients are forced to use the same server resources for their websites. This puts limits on the amount of memory, bandwidth and disk space they each have available. Cloud hosting is able to avoid this problem, as well as provide other advantages.
Saves money
A company only needs to pay for the resources it needs for a set fee that it can account for every month. It is not necessary to purchase space or bandwidth that is not needed. On the other hand, as the business expands, more resources can be obtained if necessary. This expansion can often be done much quicker through the cloud than a business would otherwise be able to do. This is because the service providers have thousands of servers that are interconnected, creating nearly limitless resources that can be accessed at a moment’s notice. A company can start with the simple basic package and then expand as it becomes more successful. The fixed cost also allows the business owner to plan ahead without having to worry about being surprised with sudden expensive equipment failures that need to be replaced.
Reliability
One of the biggest advantages of cloud hosting for an e-commerce business is the reliability factor. Users are able to store all their data on backup machines that are located off-site, meaning if the data is lost in-house the business operations won’t be disrupted for long. With the data safely stored elsewhere, the company can keep on working. As business owners know, every second their site is down is money lost.
Increased performance
Cloud systems are able to re-allocate resources quickly, which allows businesses to avoid the issues that arise when a server experiences down time. When sites experience a major influx of visitors all at once it can cause servers to overload. This does not happen with cloud hosting.
Energy efficiency
Businesses can rack up large utility bills if they have to keep several of their own computers and servers running all the time. Replacing some of this equipment by using cloud services can help save on energy costs. This also means the company has a lower power demand, resulting in less power needing to be generated, which can be good for the environment.
Security
With cloud hosting, security measures are installed throughout the process of transferring data from one location to another. Data encryption is used to protect information while it is being uploaded or downloaded, as well as when it is being stored. This can be reassuring to customers who may be reluctant to shop a site if they are unsure of its security.
Operating systems
Cloud systems use operating software templates that reduce server set up time to almost nothing by copying pre-installed system files rather than installing operating software from a CD drive.
Employee efficiency
Since the business data and programs are running online rather than on computers in the office, employees and information technology specialists can access them from anywhere at any time as long as there is an Internet connection. The cloud host also takes care of any necessary upgrades, freeing up employees to perform other duties that are intrinsic to the running of the company. Companies that have to make frequent updates to their web sites can have a big advantage by using cloud hosting.
Cloud hosting provides several benefits to e-commerce businesses which have a high need for more server space. It allows a company to quickly and inexpensively expand when the need arises, while also providing superior reliability and security. Cloud systems update automatically, leaving information technology professionals to perform other duties and keep the business running. Customers have greater trust in a company that is associated with a well-known cloud host because they feel more secure using their personal financial information. It can also reduce energy costs and the carbon footprint of a company.