Hosting, Servers & Website Protection
The technology behind your website matters, but choosing it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Websites need somewhere to operate, and different businesses have different hosting, performance and protection needs.
Some businesses simply need dependable website or WordPress hosting. Others have more advanced server requirements. Businesses may also need services that help protect, secure and recover their websites. Get Started Websites can help you understand the options and choose what fits your situation.
What Is Website Hosting?
Your Website Needs a Place to Live
A domain is the address people use to find your website.
Hosting is the technology that stores and serves the website itself so visitors can access it online.
Domain
YourBusiness.com
Website Hosting
Where your website operates
Your Website
What visitors see
A domain and hosting are related, but they are not the same thing.
Three General Areas
What Kind of Technology Do You Need?
You do not need to become a hosting expert to make a reasonable choice.
For most businesses, the decision begins by understanding three general areas.
Website & WordPress Hosting
Hosting designed for normal business websites and websites built with WordPress.
Good fit examples
- Small-business websites
- Informational websites
- Blogs
- WordPress websites
- Businesses that need traditional website hosting
VPS & Server Options
More advanced server options for businesses, applications or websites with requirements beyond ordinary website hosting.
Good fit examples
- More advanced technical requirements
- Applications requiring greater server control
- Specialized hosting configurations
- Situations where standard website hosting is not appropriate
Most small businesses do not need a VPS simply because it sounds more powerful. The appropriate option depends on what the website or application actually requires.
Website Protection & Backups
Services that can help protect websites, secure connections and provide recovery options when appropriate.
Good fit examples
- SSL
- Website security
- Backups
- Malware-related protection or monitoring where available
- Other appropriate website-protection services
No website-protection service can guarantee that a website will never experience a problem. The goal is to reduce unnecessary risk and improve the ability to respond.
Current hosting and server plans and pricing are available in the GSW Technology Store. Technology Store links open in a new tab so this GSW page remains available for reference.
WordPress Hosting
Using WordPress?
WordPress is widely used for business websites, but the website still needs an appropriate hosting environment.
WordPress-focused hosting can provide an environment specifically intended for WordPress websites and may include additional management, performance, backup or security capabilities depending on the selected service.
GSW can help determine whether a WordPress hosting option makes sense for the website you’re building or already have.
Specific storage allowances, CDN claims, malware-removal features, staging features and other plan-specific specifications are confirmed during the conversation, not published here.
VPS & Advanced Server Needs
When Standard Hosting Isn’t Enough
Some businesses have websites, applications or technical requirements that go beyond normal website hosting.
A Virtual Private Server, commonly called a VPS, can provide a more advanced hosting environment with greater control and flexibility.
But more technology is not automatically better. A VPS may also require more technical management than ordinary website hosting.
GSW can help you discuss the requirements before you purchase a server simply because it appears to be the more powerful option.
Standard Website Hosting
For many normal business websites
VPS / Server Options
For more advanced technical requirements
A VPS is not inherently faster, safer or better for every customer. The right choice depends on what the website or application actually requires.
SSL
What Is SSL?
SSL helps create an encrypted connection between a visitor and a website.
Visitors commonly recognize this through HTTPS in the website address and security indicators provided by their browser.
SSL is an important part of operating a modern website, but it is only one part of website security.
https://YourBusiness.com
An encrypted connection between your visitor and your website.
SSL does not make a website completely secure, and browser security indicators can vary between browsers.
Website Security
Website Security Is More Than One Product
Website protection can involve several layers.
Depending on the website and services selected, those layers may include secure connections, software maintenance, access controls, monitoring, malware-related protection, backups and other security practices.
No website-security service can guarantee that a website will never experience a problem.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary risk and improve the ability to respond when something does happen.
A copy of your website
Available to help with recovery when content is lost, damaged or needs to be restored.
Backups
Backups Help You Recover
A backup provides a copy of website information that may help with recovery if content is lost, damaged or otherwise needs to be restored.
Backup availability, frequency, retention and restoration options can vary depending on the hosting or backup service selected.
Specific backup frequencies and retention periods are confirmed during the conversation, not published here. Not every website can always be restored perfectly from a backup.
I Already Have Hosting
Already Have Hosting? You May Not Need to Move It.
If your current website and hosting are working well, changing providers may not be necessary.
Tell us what you already have and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Depending on your situation, it may make more sense to keep an existing service, improve something around it or consider another option only when there is a reason to do so.
How the Pieces Fit Together
Domain, Website, Hosting, Email and Protection
Domain
Your web address
Website
What customers see
Hosting
Where the website operates
Professional Email
Your business email identity
Website Protection
Security and recovery services
These technologies can work together, but they are not necessarily one product or provided through one system.
GSW can help customers understand how the pieces connect without requiring them to purchase everything at once.
Do You Actually Need Separate Hosting?
Do You Actually Need Separate Hosting?
If you’re considering a new website, don’t assume you need to purchase traditional hosting separately before deciding how the website will be built.
Some website solutions include the technology needed to operate the website as part of the service.
GSW Business Hub combines website capabilities with a broader business platform that can also include customer management, communications, scheduling, workflows, automation and other business technology.
If you primarily need an affordable website, GSW also has website-only options.
The right starting point depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Not Sure What Your Website Actually Needs?
Tell us what you have now and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Whether you’re starting a website, already use WordPress, need hosting for an existing site, are considering a VPS or want to improve website protection, we’ll help you understand the next step before you purchase something you may not need.