When you launch your website, you need to choose the perfect hosting service to ensure that your site performs optimally. There are several options to choose from, like Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Server Hosting, etc.
While each type of hosting offers certain features and benefits, choosing the perfect hosting plan requires a detailed understanding of the resource requirements of your site. Apart from the hosting type, other features like the managed/ unmanaged plans, type of bandwidth (metered/unmetered), Linux Web Hosting or Windows Hosting, etc. also affect the efficacy of your hosting platform.
Similarly, the hardware requirements, like the storage drives (SSD/HDD), RAM, CPU, etc. also impact the performance of your site. Today, we are going to talk about two essential hardware requirements – RAM and CPU and how you can determine the ideal specifications for your site.
What is RAM? How much RAM do you need?
Random Access Memory or RAM is a type of memory of the server that stores temporary data when the site runs multiple simultaneous processes. If the number of processes is high, then the RAM requirement is higher. Inadequate RAM will result in an internal server error (error #500) on your site. While smaller or newer websites usually require lower RAM, sites with high traffic volumes need a higher RAM. Here are some points to help you determine the amount of RAM your site needs:
- Websites that receive high volumes of traffic need more RAM
- Static sites need lower RAM than dynamic sites
- RAM requirements can change based on the operating system used by you
- Websites that use content management systems like WordPress, Joomla, etc. need more RAM
- Sites that use caching have lower RAM requirements
What is CPU? How much CPU do you need?
The computer that you use at home has a Central Processing Unit or CPU. A web server has multiple CPUs. If it has a higher CPU capacity, then it can process more information without affecting the performance of the site. If you look at a Shared Hosting plan, the CPU resources are split, and the server splits the resources in a sequential manner (in the order of receipt). While CPUs can process multiple simultaneous requests, a surge in traffic can overload them. This is where a Dedicated Server or a VPS Hosting plan can come handy.
Therefore, you must choose a hosting type based on the expected site traffic and size of your size as they determine the CPU requirement.
Apart from the RAM and CPU, you need to factor in other things like storage, resource scalability, security, up time assurance, etc. Remember, your site is the digital gateway to your brand’s online presence. It is the first complete interaction of an online user with your products/services. Therefore, it is important to buy a hosting plan that allows you to optimize your site’s performance and create an engaging experience.
Summing Up
If you find this too technical, then avail of the services of a professional to help you assess the hosting requirements of your site. This is important since lower resources could impact the site’s performance, and extra resources can increase the price of the hosting plan. Hence, ensure that you purchase the right amount of resources with room to grow while selecting a web hosting plan. Good Luck!