Cloud vs Managed Hosting: What’s the Difference?
As companies continue to rely on digital solutions for their business operations, cloud and managed hosting have become two popular services offered by web hosting companies. However, few know what sets them apart from each other.
This guide will provide an overview of cloud and managed hosting, explain the differences between them, and describe potential benefits for each option.
What Is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting where the resources needed to power your website are spread across multiple servers that together form a ‘cloud’. The benefit of this approach is that it allows you to scale to match your needs; if you experience more traffic or demand more resources, you can easily adjust in real time.
Additionally, cloud hosting often has built-in redundancy and secure backups, meaning that if one server fails, another one will automatically take over without any disruption to your service.
What Is Managed Hosting?
Managed hosting, also known as dedicated hosting, involves renting a physical server from a web hosting company. This means you no longer have to worry about managing the technical aspects of running a website such as security, performance, and reliability — this is all taken care of by the web hosting company.
However, because you’re limited to the resources of a single physical server, scaling up or down can be difficult.
Cost
The cost of cloud hosting can vary depending on the number of resources used, while managed hosting typically requires a flat fee per month. As a result, the cost of cloud hosting can potentially be cheaper if your website doesn’t need much resources.
Security
Cloud hosting providers generally offer good security measures due to the distributed nature of their infrastructure. With managed hosting, most of the security responsibility is in the hands of the customer. That said, many managed hosting providers do offer additional security services as part of their package.
Performance
The performance of cloud hosting systems can vary depending on the amount of resources that are being used. Because managed hosting gives customers access to a whole dedicated server, the performance can be more consistent and reliable.
When considering which type of hosting is best for your business, it’s important to understand the differences between cloud and managed hosting. Cloud hosting offers flexibility and scalability, while managed hosting can be more reliable and secure. Ultimately, the choice will depend on your budget, website requirements, and security preferences.