"Co-Location costs more (initially) than dedicated hosting. It requires more hands-on application than dedicated hosting."

If you’re doing things right then eventually, you’ll outgrow your virtual server account. When it comes to starting out, the advantages of a virtual hosting account can’t be beat. Virtual accounts are inexpensive and extremely user-friendly for the newbie adult webmaster. You can buy a startup virtual hosting account for less than ten dollars a month. That’s a high value in terms of a successful adult web page. Free hosts are fine for training but you have to have your own domain on your own hosting account if you want to climb the ladder. As said at the start of this paragraph, if you’re doing it right, you’ll outgrow your virtual hosting.

What is virtual hosting? When you pay for a virtual account with a web host, you pay to share the same server with many other clients. You get an account with a certain amount of storage and transfer. You usually receive an email account, ftp access, limited scripting capabilities and an online admin console where you can view sites statistics and configure settings.

After virtual hosting comes shared hosting. Shared hosting is when you’re housed on one server with other account holders but there’s fewer accounts and therefore more integrity per holder. On a shared account you secure more space and transfer than you would with a virtual package. You’re also allowed access to more script capability as well as more email accounts. As nice as shared hosting may be there arrives the day when you’ve got traffic coming out your ass and applications you simply can’t perform due to the limitations of your shared account.

You want your own server. You don’t want to share anything anymore. You’re a big webmaster now and it’s time to take control. When you’re at this point of maturity, you have two basic choices: Dedicated Hosting or Co-Location Hosting.

With a dedicated hosting account you are renting a server that is yours alone. No sharing. Naturally you’ll receive ample space for your traffic and storage with a dedicated account. You won’t need server insurance because the hosting company pays for it. When things go wrong with hardware your hosts will usually fix the problems as part of the agreement. A dedicated server package costs less initially because you don’t have to buy, insure and ship your hardware. This sounds like it would be the next logical step in your hosting evolution but there’s another path you might want to follow. Co-Location Hosting.

Co-Location happens when you buy your own servers and then house them at someone else’s data center. Why do this? Why buy your own servers and pay for rack space, cabinet and cage? The answer is clear. Co-Location gives you control.

You get to use your own software. You can configure your own choices of hardware. You’re in charge of your firewall. When software issues arise, you can fix them immediately. If your hardware fails you don’t have to wait for tech support to get around to your turn. You can send an agent or if you’re close by, pop on over and do the maintenance that needs to be done. If you choose a secure data center for your co-location then your host provides the connection and proper housing for your equipment. You don’t have to rent/wire your own building just to store your servers.

Of course it costs more to co-locate. You have to buy the servers and pay for any shipping costs. You’ll need to buy server insurance and possibly purchase control panel licensing. If you can’t manage the servers, you’ll have to pay someone to do so. All the things you don’t know how to do, a co-location provider should be able to provide at a rather hefty cost. Co-Location costs more (initially) than dedicated hosting. It requires more hands-on application than dedicated hosting.

Yet, in the end, you get what you pay for. If virtual hosting is like renting an apartment and shared hosting is like renting a duplex then dedicated hosting is like renting a house. You shell out money month after month after money without owning a thing. If your business fails, you have little to liquidate. After all, you move on to dedicated hosting because you’re more successful and in charge of your destiny. Why not take complete control with Co-Location?

You'll find some fine companies that not only offer Co-Location hosting but are adult friendly as well in our extensive Frog Listings!