Managed and unmanaged hosting are two different types of hosting. It is essential to know the right choice of hosting environment, depending on your business needs. Managed hosting typically involves a hands-off approach, with server setup, maintenance, security, and updates controlled by a single person on your behalf. In contrast, in unmanaged hosting, you are responsible for all such tasks if you have the expertise.
Choosing between the two generally depends on your specific needs and proficiency. You must also have detailed information on how both work and what benefits you may get based on your needs. Let’s dive into this detailed guide on choosing between managed and unmanaged hosting based on your business needs.
Managed Hosting
In managed hosting, a service provider takes care of tasks such as security, setup, and maintenance. In this, you are free to focus on your content. This helps improve customer support. Here are the pros and cons of managed hosting:
Key features of Managed Hosting
- Total control of the server is not in your hands; it is the service provider who takes care of software updates, security, and maintenance of the system.
- All issues are resolved by this professional.
- The scalability of your business is in their hands, which may be increased or decreased.
- Your server is protected by authentic security protocols such as firewalls.
- Operate your server with the latest features.
Pros of Managed Hosting
- Managed VPS hosting is handled by professional hosting providers like Liquid Web, who take care of everything, including troubleshooting, software installations and updates, and website performance optimization. They are responsible for running the server smoothly while you focus solely on content creation and other business operations.
- Â The hosting provider is responsible for security setups such as firewalls, backups, and other measures that conform with data protection regulations.
- The hosting provider monitors the server 24/7 to make sure that the software remains functional.
Cons of Managed Hosting
- Managed hosting is costly compared to unmanaged hosting. This may put a strain on your business budget.
- Managed hosting does not provide the flexibility of having control over the server.Â
Unmanaged Hosting
In unmanaged hosting, you have maximum control over the server. If you have enough know-how and proficiency in doing the tasks concerned, then unmanaged hosting is for you.
Here are the pros and cons of unmanaged hosting.
Key features of Unmanaged Hosting
Unmanaged hosting is the type of hosting where the user takes complete control of the server.
- The user is responsible for taking security precautions, such as setting firewalls.
- In unmanaged hosting, the user has to configure the server without any assistance.
- In unmanaged hosting, the user is open to customization.
- The user is responsible for total administration in unmanaged hosting.
Pros of Unmanaged Hosting
- Arguably, one of the best benefits of unmanaged hosting is that it provides you with complete control over your server. Plus, it is best if you have the required expertise to do so.
- In unmanaged hosting, you are free to choose whatever you want to include in your web hosting environment. There is no need for templates of features and applications.
- Unmanaged hosting is affordable compared to managed hosting. As a result, businesses and developers can save a lot of money.
Cons of Unmanaged Hosting
- One of the drawbacks of unmanaged hosting is that it requires you to have certain level of technical knowledge to manage. This may be a good option for people with technical expertise, it is not an ideal option for non-technical users.
- Unmanaged hosting does not come with automated updates, backups, recovery, or 24/7 expert support, requiring you to secure your website manually.
In the end, the choice between managed and unmanaged hosting dramatically depends on your business needs and resources.
Also Read: 10 Questions to Ask Your Cloud Hosting Service Provider Before Signing Up
