Many customers have the question and ask us what web hosting packages to choose from and what semi-dedicated hosting is. To answer them and you, we wrote this short article.
Semi-Dedicated Hosting is a type of web hosting service that provides you with significant computing power while maintaining the simplicity and ease of use that characterizes web hosting. Additionally, semi-dedicated hosting accounts are considered a superior hosting service and as such, the hosting provider performs regular server maintenance, implements strong firewall security protocols, and takes care of system security updates when they become available.
Semi-dedicated hosting accounts are more like shared web hosting. Both hosting models allow the use of a dedicated server (otherwise known as a physical server) by many people and businesses at the same time. However, while web hosting allows hundreds or even thousands of websites to use a single server, semi-dedicated hosting limits the number of websites hosted on the server significantly.
Thanks to this very low number of web pages, semi-dedicated hosting can ensure that each web page receives a sufficient amount of computing resources (aka resources). Resources are necessary for your website to come out quickly. But apart from the resources, an equally important factor is the software that accompanies the semi-dedicated hosting. In any case, semi-dedicated hosting is considered the best hosting option for most websites.
Semi dedicated hosting for websites
As we mentioned earlier, both web hosting and semi-dedicated hosting are very easy to use. This is because both hosting models provide you with the same control panel and require no programming knowledge. The control panel is generally very accessible and facilitates the management of the hosting account with the special tools it has. Even if you have no technical experience, you will easily be able to successfully manage your hosting account through this easy system.
At MyIP, we use the cPanel control panel which is the best control panel for hosting since it is built with ease of use in mind. So, if you decide to purchase a semi-dedicated hosting package from us, you will get a control panel that is both powerful and easy to use. In addition to all this, you can find thousands of articles, videos, and guides online that describe every function of cPanel.
Additionally, your hosting provider should be able to help you with any issues you may encounter. This technical support is usually included in the price of the hosting package. Therefore, semi-dedicated hosting is a great choice if you are looking for a high-performance hosting solution that also comes with free technical support should you need it. We are proud to provide prompt, experienced, and expert technical support to our customers since 1999. So, if you are looking for a web hosting company that can always support you, you can order our semi-dedicated hosting service.
Yet another notable advantage of semi-dedicated hosting is its performance in speed and security. It offers speed and protection that is on par with VPS Hosting or even Dedicated Hosting. The main reason for this is the powerful software systems and fast NVMe drives provided in every semi-dedicated hosting account. The loading speed of a website helps it rank higher in search engines and have higher conversion rates.
At the same time, the enhanced security systems ensure that even if one of the neighboring websites is hacked, the attacker will not be able to access your hosting account.
A downside for some semi-dedicated hosting is that it doesn’t have root access. Consequently, you will not be able to manage your server or account with shell access. But, even though for some it is considered a disadvantage, for others this is a significant advantage. The hosting provider is the only one with root access (i.e. full access) to the server, thus guaranteeing its smooth operation with greater certainty.
Advantages of Semi Dedicated Hosting
Semi-Dedicated Hosting has many advantages. Below, we’ll list some of the most notable benefits you’ll get if you decide to purchase semi-dedicated hosting.
- It is a managed hosting service. In other words, you don’t have to worry about server maintenance or installing security updates.
- It comes with free instant technical support for everything you need. Support is provided by qualified technicians and is available via phone, ticket, and email.
- It comes with many modern tools and software that are not included in the other types of hosting. These help to avoid problems and achieve maximum stability for your website and emails.
- Semi-dedicated hosting does not require special technical knowledge. Therefore, it is very accessible, even for people without a technical background.
- The website is managed through an easy-to-use control panel and not through the command line.
- Semi-dedicated hosting offers significantly better performance compared to web hosting.
- Semi-dedicated hosting has much more resources compared to web hosting.
- You can upgrade your semi-dedicated hosting package to a larger one in seconds thanks to Elastic Hosting technology.
Disadvantages of semi-dedicated hosting
Like any other type of hosting, semi-dedicated hosting also has some minor drawbacks. Below, we will list the disadvantages that you will encounter by getting semi-dedicated hosting.
- You will not be able to install Linux applications and packages on the server since you will not have root access.
- As with web hosting, server resources are shared between the hosting accounts hosted on the server.
- It is a slightly more expensive option than web hosting. Semi-dedicated hosting is a cheaper option than web hosting if you consider the enhanced features it offers.
Should I use Semi-Dedicated Hosting?
Semi-dedicated hosting is suitable for individuals and businesses who are currently using a web hosting package but are starting to reach the usage limits of their hosting package. In such situations, upgrading to semi-dedicated hosting will not only offer you many new features but will also significantly increase your usage limits. Thanks to this, your website will not be dropped by the hosting provider due to excessive use of server resources.
What makes upgrading to semi-dedicated hosting worthwhile is that you gain additional server resources and new features, while maintaining the simplicity and ease of use you had with web hosting. If you currently decide to upgrade to semi-dedicated hosting, you will not see any change in the way you manage your control panel.
After the upgrade, new tools and functions will be activated for you to use. If there was no semi-dedicated hosting and you wanted to upgrade, you would have to get a VPS or a Dedicated Server which you would have to set up from scratch and manage yourself.
This implies that semi-dedicated hosting is suitable for everyone. We have seen that it is simple to use, has greater performance, and has modern software technology. You can install the same applications on it as web hosting, which thanks to the improved features will be faster.
Choosing the right Semi-Dedicated Hosting
If you have compared semi-dedicated hosting with all other types of hosting and decided that it best suits your needs, then reading this section will give you a good idea of what to look for when buying semi-dedicated hosting.
The first decision you need to make is choosing the right hosting provider. Since semi-dedicated hosting is a managed hosting service, the hosting company must be able to keep the server up and running at all times. Ideally, you should buy semi-dedicated hosting from a provider that can guarantee at least 99.9% uptime.
Two other services that the hosting provider should offer are plenty of quality backups and immediate technical support. Regarding backups, you should have automatic backups for your websites and databases at least once a day. In addition, the provider should maintain a large backup history of at least 3 months. And when it comes to technical support, you should be able to easily and directly reach the hosting company’s support team. Ideally, you should get support as soon as you call them or open a ticket.
The semi-dedicated hosting provider should also have a strong security system that constantly scans the network for threats and prevents attacks and unauthorized access. Your hosting account should be scanned 24/7/365 for viruses, trojans, and other malware.
Finally, you should have access to a powerful control panel that allows you to fully manage your semi-dedicated hosting without having to contact the hosting provider. You should be able to access to modify your files, FTP accounts, databases, email accounts, DNS settings, and backups and easily install applications like WordPress. If any of these features are missing, you will be forced to contact your hosting provider’s support team every time you need to complete a simple task for them to complete. This is not a production model.
Additionally, you need to make sure that NVMe drives are used to store the website files. Hosting on older HDDs can offer more storage, but is slower and technologically outdated. So are SSDs, they are much slower than the new names. And speaking of speed, the best hosting providers can offer you Data Center NVMe drives. With these drives, you will get even higher file read/write speeds, which means you will have a faster website.
You should know how much processing power and memory your website will have. Don’t forget to ask what processors the server has and when these processors came out. The best processors are the Intel Xeon Gold and Platinum and the AMD 7000 series. Don’t forget to ask how much bandwidth they give you. Aim for a solution with at least 200GB of available traffic.