Bandwidth And Web Space – What’s The Difference?

When it comes to web hosting, it is always better to have a proper understanding of all the important terms so that you can put your web hosting resources to the optimum use. Among the various resources offered, web space and bandwidth are the most crucial aspects of a hosting package. When it comes to selecting the right web hosting package, it is important to do this on the basis of various parameters, however even if you have the basic understanding of these two important factors, you will be able to select the perfect web hosting package for your website.

Web Space / Storage Space

Storage space is the total amount of space available on the server that can be used to store files, specially the ones that are used for creating your website. These files might be of any type like images, HTML files, email and website scripts. Some people also like to utilize the storage space in order to log the backup files, for storing the old copies of the web pages or even the backup files from their home computers.

You can think of the storage space as the filing cabinet. For instance, like an office environment, a filing cabinet requires more space to grow when you start adding more information or files to it. It’s the same with the web space; it is generally recommended that people take website expansion into consideration when it comes to web space while selecting the web hosting package.

With complete understanding of the web space, you will be able to select the right web hosting package and thereby you will feel secure about the online availability of your uploaded content.

Bandwidth

In simple words, bandwidth is the amount of data transfer that takes place between your website and the end users. Estimating the bandwidth requirement of your website will be easy if you have an idea about how large your web pages are and a rough estimate of the number of people you think will visit your website on a daily basis. If your website offers downloading of the files, it is also important to take the spectrum of downloads into consideration before finalizing on the web hosting package.

When it comes to bandwidth, it is wise to consider the ability of the web host in terms of accommodating your website needs in case they grow more than expected. The web hosts charge a specific amount on the bandwidth requirement in case it exceeds the limit provided with the web hosting package. If the website exceeds the monthly bandwidth limit, you will have to buy more bandwidth. With careful planning, you will be able to avoid getting into this kind of situation.

Web Space vs Bandwidth

Web space is the amount of server space that your website is entitled to for the file sharing needs, while bandwidth is the amount of the data transfer that can be done from the server to the other locations on the internet. Bandwidth is always greater than the amount of web space for quite a bit so that the transmission of information from the website to the website visitors is smooth. Knowing the difference between the two will enable you to select the most appropriate web hosting package that will perfectly support the functioning of the website.

Web Space And Bandwidth Recommendations

* If you are operating a small website with less web pages, you don’t intend to sell any product and if you are not targeting heavy traffic, then little disk space and bandwidth will be sufficient.

*If your website has a good online visibility and ranks well in the search engines with a large number of affiliates and is generating a large amount of traffic, then having high bandwidth becomes necessary.

* If you have a large website that has more number of web pages, approximately 15-20 pages, you will need to select a web hosting package that provides with the required web space and bandwidth. The ideal hosting solution would be shared hosting.

* For those websites that are focused on a niche topic and are regularly updated with new content and resources, a great amount of web space and bandwidth will be required. Such websites might not require much web space and bandwidth in the beginning, however as the traffic will increase, website requirements will also increase.

* In case you have a website that is extremely popular and contains a lot of files for downloading, such as an eCommerce website or a gaming website, then you will surely need a large amount of disk space and bandwidth. Dedicated server would be an ultimate solution in this case.