You have most likely heard of the cloud, but did you know that it can also apply to your website’s hosting? Cloud hosting uses remote servers and data centers to perform a range of tasks and to perform them securely. But what makes cloud hosting superior to alternatives like traditional shared servers, dedicated servers, or running your website locally? There are many benefits of cloud hosting, including:

1. Flexible Pricing Structure

Let’s face it: the bottom line of your business must always be in focus. Nearly every hosting providers charge a monthly fee regardless of how much or how little traffic your site gets. They even charge the fee if you don’t choose to use all of their “add on” services. Cloud hosting allows you to only pay for what you use. Such an approach is especially beneficial when considering all companies exhibit ups and downs throughout the year. If you expect to receive an unusually high level of traffic, or even if you’re not, a cloud hosting package will adjust to your needs, rather being forced to contact the hosting provider to request more bandwidth when you need it.

2. Freedom From Server Hardware Problems

Cloud hosting allows your site to be isolated from typical server issues such as server malfunctions, power losses, hardware failure, hacking, or system overload. Cloud hosting allows for the seamless routing to another server should the current one become compromised and does so without any downtime. As you can see, cloud hosting goes beyond load balancing and provides peace of mind.

" Cloud hosting is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. The term is generally used to describe data centers available to many users over the Internet. Large clouds, predominant today, often have functions distributed over multiple locations from central servers. If the connection to the user is relatively close, it may be designated an edge server. "

— Wikipedia

3. Better for Disasters

Even the most secure websites can be subject to attacks, hacks, and especially upgrades when they do not perform as promised. Your business should be investing in comprehensive disaster recovery to protect you from lost downtime should the site experience a significant problem. Large businesses can afford the resources needed, on-site with staff to monitor their systems 24/7. Small to mid-sized businesses don’t have that luxury. The cloud can help. Smaller businesses can now enjoy cloud hosting with recovery options that work just as quickly as non-cloud services, and at comparable costs.

4. Improved Website Performance and Speed

Did you know that your search engine rankings are directly related to your website’s performance in search? An out of date hosting company can be the reason your site isn’t performing at it’s best, due to slow loading speeds. Cloud servers can give your site blazing fast speeds, accomplished through easier load balancing across multiple servers. To get the most speed for your site, look for a cloud host that offers premium server hardware, multiple caching layers, and low-density servers. And if your website is crucial to your revenue, such as online stores or informational downloads, cloud hosting should be a serious consideration. More so if your business trades internationally.

5. Better Document Control

Do your clients, employees, and partners collaborate on documents? Collaborative environments rely on secure document control. Cloud hosting allows you to share files without any use of email, allowing avoidance from attacks and confusion on drafts, titles, etc. Another benefit of cloud hosting is the ability to store all your documents on one central server system where everyone can see the most current versions of your documents, not to mention older drafts.

If you’re still relying on the old way of traditional hosting, it might be time to look into something more secure, cost-effective, and more streamlined. Contact your Webcentrex representative today for more information on our cloud hosting packages!