Cloud hosting is a server or simply a network infrastructure that uses software to divide a physical server. A single physical server is divided into multiple virtual servers. These different and divided multiple servers are termed as virtual machines or VMs. By using cloud resources, websites and applications become very easily available. Solutions are not deployed over a single server and hence very much different from those conventional hosting plans. Some of the main features of cloud hosting are-

1. All the applications are on the cloud network and not on-premises or on a single server.
2. Resources can be easily scaled as per the user’s needs.
3. You have to pay only for those resources that are actually in use.
4. Cloud hosting can support both SQL as well as Non-SQL databases.
5. Everything is controlled using APIs, portals, etc.

Although cloud hosting has multiple benefits, but out of them, some can transform your business from head to toe. These benefits are-

1. The bandwidth that traditional hosting services used to provide was very limited and thus made our applications very inflexible. But with cloud hosting, you get world-class flexibility by providing unlimited bandwidth. It scales the resources in a way that can handle traffic spikes and seasonal demands.
2. Cloud hosting will always be the more affordable option as you only need to pay for those resources that are in use. Such a model is called pay as you go model. The payment is generally done on an hourly or monthly basis.
3. Any kind of hardware failure will not affect your website or application and thus there will be no downtime. This is because unlike traditional web servers, the applications are hosted on a network of multiple servers. Hence, when the traffic spikes, it automatically gets divided into separate network interfaces. Due to this the traffic gets properly divided and thus remains secured.
4. Most of the cloud hosting providers promise 24*7 support. They have experts for all the hosting issues one might face.

- No, it is not possible to convert a shared hosting into a cloud hosting service because they are completely different in terms of features. On a shared host, everything like CPU, memory, disk space, etc. is shared amongst all the users. Whereas in cloud hosting, the resources within the infrastructure are designed in a way that they act in a dedicated manner.

You cannot convert your shared hosting plan into a cloud hosting one, but one can migrate from a shared hosting plan to cloud hosting.

Though cloud migration can turn out to be a long process but is beneficial in the longer run. Once all your applications are migrated over the cloud, it deploys all your IT requirements on a virtual machine. Due to this, it is easy to scale up or down as per the requirement. Thus if you are looking for a better hosting plan than shared hosting, then cloud migration is the best option.

It’s quite difficult to decide that which one is better out of the two i.e. cloud hosting or VPS hosting. It depends on the requirements and the type of your business. When cloud hosting provides you with great server power and world-class flexibility, VPS hosting is known for its affordable solutions by using the virtualization technology. A detailed difference will give you a clearer idea-

The on-demand accessibility of resources for computing without any complex management required from the client's side.

Since most companies in the US are multi-national, cloud hosting can provide a single platform for all your offices, regardless of the country in which the office is located.

Plus, the server is easy to set up with a few clicks. Moreover, an outsourced cloud server will relieve you of the tussles of managing any hardware.

As secure as any other server out there.

We have an arsenal of intrusion detection, firewall, and threat elimination techniques installed in our servers to detect even the minutest threats.

Besides, we backup data to several machines, and at multiple locations. So, your data is as safe as it can get with cloud hosting.

It is, provided the third-party (like us) has absolutely zero interest in your data, and is committed to servicing your needs more than quelling its curiosity with your data. Moreover, there are stipulations laid down by the T&C that bind the provider to not indulge in any activity that may breach the privacy of its clients.

For an analogy, think of Cloud Hosting as safekeeping valuables in a bank-vault.

Clouds are of several types and are classified in various ways. However, the most commonly known classification is based on the service-type.

IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service. IaaS will help companies that need an entire data center but aren't willing to construct and maintain their own, or are otherwise not financially strong enough to invest in a full-fledged data center.

PaaS – Platform as a Service When you need an entire cloud hosting platform for your business, and are okay with compromising the underpinning server-management, PaaS shall he the right choice for your business.

SaaS – Software as a Service SaaS is in trend these days. You are likely to benefit from SaaS if you are running a third-party web-based application such as Enterprise Resource Planning, Accounting, Inventory Management, and other embedded applications.

Conventional servers are physical, disk-based servers and work much like a hard-drive. Each physical server – in a data center – is accessed separately, and as an individual stand-alone disk.

Servers in cloud hosting, on the other hand, are pooled together to act like a single, mammoth machine. Since the entire operation relates to the pool of resources, the underlying machines in the cloud become somewhat insignificant.

Yes, in cloud hosting, you can tailor a configuration to suit your requirements.

You can choose to have your own set of disk space, RAM, and other resources you find fit for your organization.

The cost of cloud server hosting depends upon the services you avail, and also on the server specifications you opt.

For an analogy, think of Cloud Hosting as safekeeping valuables in a bank-vault.

You can choose to bill your cycle as frequently as you want, or you can bill it for a year at once.

The shorter cycles (monthly) are preferred by companies with fast changing needs. The longer ones (yearly or so) are the go-to for businesses planning to save extra costs by opting for long-term plans.

Yes. You can choose to configure clouds on your private infra. The concept is quite common and is referred to as Private Cloud Servers.

The benefits are almost the same as with every other cloud hosting service, except that you will also unlock access to server-side controls.

As demerits, you can expect to invest almost 10 times the price – or more – than what you would spend on an outsourced cloud hosting server.

Yes. You can deploy a combination of both private and public cloud servers in case you think a combination of both will suit you better than either of them alone. This concept is also quite in practice and is often termed as "Hybrid cloud server".