In 2024, the web hosting market is expected to grow at a rate of 15.5% a year, and VPS hosting has all the makings of a leading market segment. Managed VPS hosting plans are projected to grow at a rate of 16.5%, above the average for all web hosting types.
Interestingly, most VPS servers run Linux – 60% to be exact. Linux is open-source and free, which makes it possible for hosting providers to offer much cheaper VPS packages than if they only used Windows.
Moreover, Linux has proven to be a reliable website hosting platform with out-of-the-box support for many key technologies.
There are many other reasons to choose managed web hosting, which we’ll look at in this guide.
The significance of managed web hosting for businesses
Your website is crucial to your business operations’ outcomes. If you have a complex business like an ecommerce store, your website is critical to your mission. In other cases, it can be a simple tool to communicate your business information to potential and existing customers.
In every event, your web hosting provider should make sure your site runs efficiently, quickly, and with as little downtime as possible.
As the number of visitors to your site grows, inefficient hosting makes it increasingly sluggish and frustrating to deal with.
All servers require regular updates, maintenance, and security checks. Malware can cause damage, like random crashes and other occurrences that irk users.
Managed hosting gives the confidence to be productive
You can’t be successful if your website experiences frequent downtime due to server issues. The best managed VPS hosting providers will give you the confidence you need to focus on selling products or services. Poor quality hosting makes it more difficult for you and your team to focus on other tasks.
By outsourcing hosting management, businesses can free up internal resources and focus on their competencies and strategic initiatives. This allows teams to be more productive, dedicating more time to innovation, product development, and customers.
Managed vs. unmanaged hosting
The managed hosting provider is responsible for software and hardware maintenance. They also handle security issues. Most web hosts include a free SSL certificate in their plans. This frees you up to focus on your business strategy, whatever it may be: increasing traffic to the site, digital marketing, etc. Managed hosting is best for users without expertise in the subject who’d rather dedicate time and effort to business growth.
If you opt for unmanaged hosting, you will be taking care of all the software and hardware administration. You’ll need to watch for potential security issues, update software, and access everything on the server. This type of web hosting is suitable for people who know how the system works and want control of the environment.
Taking a load off IT professionals
It’s estimated that 42% of IT professionals experience burnout at some point. According to the MBI, 56% are unable to unwind after their working day. Their jobs are stressful and involve grappling with the demands of technology development in challenging settings.
Managed hosting enhances IT focus thanks to robust security measures, including regular updates, patches, and proactive monitoring. This helps protect against cyber threats and reduces the burden on the IT team to monitor and secure the servers constantly.
The providers handle routine tasks such as server setup, maintenance, and updates. This frees up the IT team to focus on strategic projects rather than day-to-day operational tasks.
The hosting provider should offer scalable solutions that can grow with the needs of the business. This way, IT teams can scale resources up or down without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure.
Managed hosting includes performance monitoring and optimization. Providers ensure that servers run efficiently, which can improve website speed and reliability without requiring constant oversight from the IT team.
Many providers offer round-the-clock support. This ensures that any issues can be quickly addressed, minimizing downtime and allowing IT teams to rely on expert assistance whenever needed.
The services often include regular backups and disaster recovery plans. This ensures data integrity and availability, allowing IT teams to focus on other critical tasks rather than backup management.
By outsourcing hosting management, IT teams can focus more on core business activities and innovation, leading to potentially better business outcomes and competitive advantage.
Recap
- Benefits of managed hosting for businesses
- Comparing managed and unmanaged hosting
- Your IT staff will thank you