Website owners are posed with two options for hosting their website on the Internet. Either they can build their own hosting service in-house or they can hire the services of an outsourced web host. Most website owners are facing a dilemma in choosing between the two options.
By just reviewing an overview of building a personal web hosting model, it may seem to be a cost effective option. Nevertheless, considering an overall picture of the both the options including the emergence of the managed cloud, then outsourcing web hosting services emerges not only as a cost effective option but it certainly makes more sense.
Now, let us analyze the different factors which need to be considered before selecting a web hosting option.
1. Capital Investment:
In preparing your own web hosting model, first of all, you need to purchase expensive hardware equipment as an initial investment along with maintenance agreements, collocation or utility costs, and other hidden investments. Where as outsourcing web hosting service just includes a regular fixed rent to be paid to the web hosts. It saves from making a big initial investment and depreciation cost on hardware machinery.
2. Employee Services:
You need to hire employees to maintain your web hosting resources in a proper way. You need to maintain them, because in case they leave your firm, you will be left with doing the critical web hosting tasks. Where as, outsourcing web hosting saves you from this procedure. Moreover, it guarantees you with these services with complete documentation and continuity.
3. Strong SLA’S:
Generally, most web hosts have strict Service Level Agreement (SLA). SLA can include features like 100% network uptime, 1hr hardware replacement, 30 minute emergency response, and resource guarantees. This allows you to in turn offer these services to your own clients while providing them with an added security.
4. Buying Back Hardware:
Often, many companies will be reluctant to opt for an outsourced hosting model as they would have already invested in hardware. Some web hosts also provide the facility of buying back your hardware resources and help you in recovering your investment. You need to understand that just on account of buying hardware devices, it is not necessary to manage hosting process privately.
5. Flexibility:
Profound web hosts possess great expertise, experience and resources through which they can handle the diverse requirements of their clients easily. In case, there is any trouble, it is most likely that an experienced web host would have already encountered it earlier. They would be well-versed with the technicalities associated with the problem and would be able to solve it aptly. This is not possible in case of private hosting.
6. Scalability:
Usually, most outsourced web hosts are able to add virtual machines to your settings in less than an hour and add physical infrastructure within a day or two. Moreover, you can even combine your private cloud with the cloud hosting service provided by the web host. It can let you accommodate unknown load or a need for procuring resources immediately.
7. Opportunity Risk:
You should also consider the opportunity risk as you will need internal IT resources allocate their time to maintain the in-house hosted environment. Outsourced hosting doesn’t need you to do these tasks and allows you to concentrate on your business. In case of in-house hosting, you might not be able to meet with your client requirements in time but outsourced hosting enables you to consider all client requirements instantly.
8. RFP Questions
Most often, you won’t be prone to give as satisfactory answers to client queries in private hosting than the answers provided in an outsourced hosting. Outsourced hosting enables you to promptly answer questions related to SLA’s, uptime history, certifications (like SAS-70 or SSAE 16, PCI Compliance, HIPAA/HITECH), scalability, etc. An outsourced web host can provide answers to all RFP’s and any other customer queries confidently performing as your web assistant allowing you to respond to your client needs.
9. Security:
A professional web host maintains the highest security levels. Expert managed web hosts perform tasks such as employee background and criminal checks, video surveillance with records kept for at least 90 days, dual factor authentication to access the facilities, logging of who accessed what and for what reason, and regular training programs. Moreover, they also do offer services of IPS, WAF’s, SIEM, File Integrity Monitoring, and vulnerability scanning.
10. Quality Certifications:
Outsourced web hosts generally have compliance certifications such as SSAE 16 Type II, SOC2, SOC3, and PCI DSS certifications to ensure the security of your data. While running in-house hosting it proves extremely costly to avail such certifications. On the other hand, when you outsource hosting services, it gives you an added advantage in the form of such certifications while enabling significant cost savings.
11. Network Support:
Outsourced hosting provides you with multiple tier 1 providers over Gig-E lines. This ensures that you have a server availability 24x7x365 with assured levels of network performance which may sometimes not be possible in case of in-house hosting.
12. Monitoring:
A managed hosting service undertakes monitoring of your environment. It provides a 24x7x365 days of continuous availability while dealing with your problems at any given time. This would cost you immensely in case of an in-house hosting as you would need to hire support staff and even that will not be enough during alerts or emergencies.
Conclusion:
Looking to all the above mentioned factors, it can be concluded that outsourced hosting is surely a better and cost-effective option as compared to in-house hosting. Although, in-house hosting may seem preferable at the beginning but it is outsourced hosting which proves more beneficial, customer oriented and comprehensive service in the long run.
So, which other factors do you think prove outsourced hosting preferable as compared to in-house hosting?
