Self-Hosting vs. Managed Hosting - Which is Better?
Before choosing the type of hosting, you have to consider two options.
You can either go for managed hosting or a do-it-yourself hosting solution.
The right decision depends on your hosting requirements. You have to analyze your hosting budget, technical skills, and the application demands.
Hosting comes with many server-related workloads. It ranges from setup to regular maintenance, backups, security & more.
This article covers self-hosting vs. managed hosting and the best option for your business.
What is Self Hosting
Self hosting is the process of running and maintaining website using a private web server. It does not include any additional maintainance services from the host.
Self hosting involves critical server tasks such as installation & configuring. You are responsible for server uptime & maintenance.
What is Managed Hosting
Managed hosting is where a hosting provider handles all the hosting-related tasks. The server is maintained by a third-party to run your applications.
The hosting provider is responsible for server setup & maintenance. It includes tasks like server installation, patches, automated backups.
If you require technical support, you can contact the hosting provider. Managed hosting reduces the server workloads significantly.
Some of the managed hosting services include:
- Performance optimizing
- Cache management
- Security updates & patches
- Server monitoring
- Database management
- Firewall & data encryption
- 24/7 technical support
- Automated backups
- Compliance assistance
Self Hosting vs. Managed Hosting Comparison
1. Server Setup/Configuration
There are many tasks to set up and configure the server. Some of the server setup tasks include:
- Server hardware in-house or on the cloud
- Install the operating system
- Fulfill application prerequisites
- Install required services
- Set up monitoring & logging
- Firewalls
- Vulnerability scans
- Compliance standards
Along with this, you should set up alerts for reaching the threshold. You should be able to add or remove the capacity resources, based on demand.
In Managed hosting, the server set up is looked after by the hosting provider.
2. Performance
Your site’s performance directly affects revenue, SEO rankings, and brand reputation.
In a Google research, the probability of bounce increases to 90% when the page load time goes from 1s to 5s.
For self hosting, you are in charge of the application’s performance. It includes various speed optimizing techniques like CDN and caching.
You can get high speed for your applications with the right technical skills.
A managed hosting provider offers maximum performance by using the latest technologies and innovations.
Some of the performance components include:
- Lightweight tech components
- Redis and Varnish Cache
- Global CDN
- Latest hardware innovations
- Proximal data center locations
The hosting provider will fine-tune the server during traffic spikes. You can also request performance SLAs based on the target regions.
3. Security
An unsecured server is at a high risk of data breach. It can cost companies 4.24 million dollars per incident on average. It compromises the data and applications present on your server.
There are many types of security attacks:
- Malware and ransomware
- Phishing
- SQL injection
- DDoS attack
- Cross-site scripting (XSS)
- Man-in-the-middle attack
- Spamming and bad traffic
As a self-host, it is your responsibility to protect the server against these attacks.
In managed hosting, you get server-side security features:
- Web Application Firewall
- DDoS protection
- SSL Encryption
- VPN
- Free SSL certificate
- PCI, HIPAA Compliance
- Hourly backups
You also get round-the-clock tech support in case any security issue arises.
4. Monitoring & Uptime
Server monitoring is the process of overseeing server resources. It includes CPU Usage, Memory, Disk Usage, and more.
You can use a server monitoring software for self hosting. You get granular visibility into server metrics.
It involves checking resource utilization, uptime and response time. A control panel also gives a quick overview of server health.
Managed hosting offers continuous server monitoring. The hosting provider will proactively handle server resources that are used up.
5. Efficiency
Self hosting takes away your time from core business processes. You cannot handle everything yourself. It includes many technical, security, and maintenance aspects.
Managed Magento hosting is more efficient and lets you focus on the core business aspects. You get a whole team of professionals managing your server.
As a result, you get time to scale your business and solve critical issues.
6. Support
Managed hosting offers 24/7 reliable support from experts. The support will come as part of your hosting plan.
You have to rely on your own skills to resolve issues for self hosting.
7. Costs
There are no recurring fees in self hosting. You pay for the data storage, RAM and other server resources.
Along with that, you may have to invest in CDN to reduce latency. As your business grows, you have to invest in more server resources and storage solutions.
Managed hosting pricing comes with a subscription fee. However, if you opt for a fully managed solution, you can stay hand off.
Self Hosting vs. Managed Hosting - Which is Better?
The choice between self-hosting or managed hosting depends on many factors. You have to analyze your business requirements, budget & skills.
Some of the primary factors to consider:
- Technical expertise
- Budget
- Business critical projects
- Complexity in managing the application
- Individual or a team effort
- System admin support
Self hosting is helpful when you have the technical expertise. Without the skills, it can be difficult and lead to loss of time.
Managed hosting is recommended if you’d like to fully concentrate on your project.
To learn more about Managed hosting, check out MGT Commerce blog.
