It’s (usually) about servers

Un-managed hosting is a term mostly associated with dedicated servers, virtual private servers (VPS) and cloud servers, but there are some providers that offer un-managed shared hosting too, but they are few and far between.

It’s all down to you

When it comes to un-managed hosting, it’s all down to you:

  • If something stops working, you fix it
  • If something is slow, you fix it
  • If something is being weird, you fix it
  • If something needs installing, you install it
  • If something needs configuring, you configure it
  • If something needs updating, you update it
  • If something needs securing, you secure it
  • If something needs backing up, you back it up
  • If something needs restoring, you restore it
  • etc.
A green telephone icon is crossed out, surrounded by two circles and smaller filled circles "orbiting" around.

In other words, if a task needs doing it’s going to fall on your shoulders to do it, whether you know how to or not; and if you don’t have the skill set required you really only have three options:

  1. Don’t do the job – but who knows what negative consequences that might bring?
  2. Learn how to do the job – but can you learn it quick enough?
  3. Pay someone to do the job – but how much will that cost in the long run?

It doesn’t cost as much

It’s all been a bit negative about un-managed hosting so far, but there is an upside;  It should be significantly cheaper, because you’re not paying the hosting company to do everything for you.

If you’re after cheaper hosting and have the skills to do everything you need to securely setup and maintain your server(s) then un-managed hosting might be the answer you’re looking for.

Fully managed hosting

If you don’t want the burden of managing everything yourself, fully managed hosting is likely the best option for you.  Check out What is fully managed hosting?