There is no exact standard as what constitutes as managed hosting of a website. There are so many different types of hosting choices available with different services available. Each server provider will claim to be managed but that does not mean you are getting the same level of support, maintenance or security. Generally, it is businesses that use managed hosting or those who have sites with a lot of traffic. By using an outside company to take care of the hosting requirements, one is freed from the often arduous administrative tasks of maintaining a website.

Most businesses have no experience with web hosting and find a managed hosting company is more reliable than relying upon limited skills. In these cases, certain factors of managed hosting become even more important. A housed data center with redundant power and HVAC systems is necessary. Even though most people can figure out a basic hosting, problems tend to occur when servers become more complicated. A dedicated server is much more complex than a shared server and requires more skill to maintain.

For many businesses, just a short period of site downtime can result in big losses. While managed hosting can be expensive, for many it pays off because they can focus on their core business and don’t have to worry about the stress and time constraints of hosting. However, one should always make sure that the services offered suit what the company requires from web hosting and understand them thoroughly.