Managed web hosting is when a person or organization outsources their web operations to a third-party. Managed web hosting traditionally only applied to dedicated hosting services. Which this is still one of the most common uses of managed web hosting, many third-party providers now offer solutions like VPA, co-location and cloud hosting. Managed hosting is ideal for anyone who lacks IT knowledge or the physical space for servers.
What is Managed Web Hosting?
Managed hosting comes with service plans that are administered through third-party providers. The monthly cost of managed web hosting ranges from $30 to $100 per month for basic plans. Corporate clients will spend much more if they have hundreds of computers and complex business needs. The cheaper plans may use VPS hosting, but expensive plans will use dedicated hosting plans that are highly advanced and comprehensive. Most web hosting companies use the term fully managed to denote standard services. Phone based technical support may cost an additional $50 to $100 an hour. The more expensive plans will offer more free technical support. Fully managed web hosting plans will come with experienced webmasters who will remotely monitor the client’s website, perform regular maintenance and fix various issues.
Managed Web Hosting Plans
Most IT service and hosting providers will offer standard features and services. This includes data migration, log checking, email archiving, script debugging, database management, SSL certificate installation and automated backups. It also will include the installation and maintenance of hosted applications, website tools and open-source apps like Drupal and WordPress. Managed web hosting plans usually comes with free HTML updates. This means that a business owner will simply email their service provider any logo updates, contact changes and content replacement for them to upload to the website. There are also partially managed web hosting plans that offer limited service and monitoring. These clients must perform some maintenance upkeep and administrative functions for the websites. This option provides clients with more control over how they use their servers. This solution is ideal for businesses with basic IT resources.
What are the Benefits?
Managed web hosting is ideal for small to medium sized businesses because it costs a lot of money to employ a full-time webmaster to maintain a single website. Maximum website uptime and limited downtown are critical for the success of any organization. Outsourcing the technical duties and demands of a webmaster to a third-party is a great way to save money, streamline operations and receive access to better technology.
For example, in-house IT staff will be free to spend their time on other important duties and functions. Web host services will provide enhanced security, increased performance and access to exclusive technology. For instance, third-party providers often use cloud based technology that is accessible on any device around the clock. This means that small to medium sized businesses will enjoy better bandwidth, hardware quality, software accessibility and server performance.
Related Resource: What is an Addon Domain?
Readers who want a career in managed web hosting could find work as a systems administrator, network field engineer, digital services specialist and web hosting support technician.
