For a website to be visible to Internet users you need webhosting. There are many forms of webhosting from basic hosting to more complex solutions such as colocation or managed hosting. Managed hosting does what it says on the tin ' you hosting is managed by the hosting provider. But who can benefit?

This option is mostly used by businesses, especially those whose staff have little or no experience of web hosting. Basic hosting can be relatively easy to run after a little research, even for those with no prior knowledge. But more complex packages are different. Those who don't believe they have the necessary skills and are not confident that they can manage their hosting, often prefer to pass it on to someone they think they can trust.

Many business owners are not confident in web hosting problem solving. They don't want to risk having their server down for long periods, an eventuality that could happen if server problems are not rectified quickly. Managed hosting is sometimes chosen for this reason alone, as having a team of experts can both prevent many problems and solve them when they do occur.

For those who have lots of website traffic or need a high-end hosting solution, a dedicated server is often what is required. A dedicated server means a website (or a group of websites) has its own server, which isn't shared with others. Most cases of managed hosting is where a dedicated server is in use. Having a dedicated server is more complex than being on a shared server and many aren't able to control this themselves. It is harder for novices as it isn't just simply controlled with a control panel (although some areas are).

Businesses usually want to spend the majority of their time focussing on their core business. They do not want to spend half of their time trying to figure out how to run their website hosting. Some will want to outsource all of their IT, while others may only outsource certain areas, such as the hosting.

The day to day running and updating of a website is not usually included in a managed hosting package. Hosting is related to the servers that keep the website online, not the website itself. This is more likely to be taken care of by website maintenance companies or the company who built the website. Some managed hosting packages do include website maintenance though. This may be an add-on on top of the hosting services, and therefore may be cheaper than hiring a company just for this purpose. Customers with very limited knowledge, or those who just don't want to worry about the website at all, are those who will pay for this.

Administration is something that many people dislike, and they would rather pass it on to someone else if at all possible. Managed hosting sometimes includes certain admin tasks. Although it is rare that someone would pay for managed hosting just for the admin, if it is included it may encourage businesses to use the service.

There are many reasons why managed hosting may be chosen. Businesses are the most common customers, but others may also use the service. For basic hosting managed hosting is rarely the best option as it can be expensive, but for complex solutions it can solve a lot of time and stress and therefore can give value for money.

Andrew Marshall ©