The moment you have finished formatting your web pages, you now have to pick out a domain name and register - that can also be done inversely by registering the domain name first and formatting your web pages second. If you have finished the mentioned tasks you can now get the web pages you have created hosted by a recognized web hosting service. There are generally 5 types of service that you can choose from. Choosing one can depend on your needs and budget. The different types offer a wide range of services unique to them. Knowing how each type works may help you pick out one that is right for you.
Self-Hosting
This type of service is usually availed by big corporations and organizations that have websites of their own. With this type, you become the one responsible for buying the servers and keeping the system up and running. Redundancy can easily be achieved with this type by availing of back up web servers. The expenses for Self Hosting is very steep, but it is one time expense since you would get your own server and put it online with the network provider of your choosing.
Co-Location
This type of service is quite similar to that of self hosting, the only difference is that: instead of being solely responsible for keeping your server up and running, you can put it in a server farm. The Server farm places your server in their network and become responsible for administration and availability. However, this type does not free you of the responsibility to maintain your own server.
Dedicated
Dedicated Managing Service allows you to lease a server provided by a Web Host. With this type of setup, the company becomes responsible for the maintenance, security and administration of the server you have rented as well as providing the internet connection. They work by following an agreement that you have entered with the service provider in accordance with the quality levels that you want. This is probably the easiest and least cumbersome service you can avail of, but it does come with a high price tab.
Shared
This is similar with a dedicated hosting service. The only difference is that instead of having your own server, you pay for the space you occupy on one. This has become one of the most common types of hosting service on the World Wide Web. With this service, you are given the option to have them manage your own website or you can do it yourself. This is a very affordable type of service as you are sharing the expenses with other web masters.
Virtual Private Hosting
This is a new type of Hosting service. It works similarly to a Shared Host, the only difference is that the server is portioned and each part works on its own. This means that even though you are sharing a server, you are not affected by the performance of other websites on the same server. As a result, this type is much faster and safer than shared hosting.