{"id":164,"date":"2012-07-12T16:42:26","date_gmt":"2012-07-12T22:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.scalahosting.com\/?p=164"},"modified":"2023-03-16T04:22:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T10:22:18","slug":"why-scala-hosting-doesnt-offer-unlimited-space-and-bandwidth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/why-scala-hosting-doesnt-offer-unlimited-space-and-bandwidth\/","title":{"rendered":"Busting the Myth: Unlimited Space and Bandwidth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking around for a new hosting provider, there are plenty of factors you can compare. Undoubtedly, essential server resources like disk space and bandwidth<\/strong> would be a prime consideration for any web project. If this is your first time searching for the right host, it’s very easy to get allured by the promises of Unlimited server resources<\/strong> that some providers like to flaunt.<\/p>\n

Let’s be real for a moment – “Unlimited” is a lie, and you should forget about it right now<\/em>.<\/p>\n

But don’t just take our word for it. Here is some very logical explanation…<\/p>\n

Web Hosting Explained<\/h2>\n

Understanding the gimmick behind Unlimited deals takes us way back to the very nature of hosting. Depending on the chosen service, you have one or more customers occupying a server machine and utilizing its resources<\/strong>. When we talk about shared hosting, the most popular type of service, the number of users per server can easily exceed 100.<\/p>\n

So why should that matter? It all boils down to the host’s hardware configuration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Think of the web server as your personal computer. As your PC has a set of system resources – CPU<\/strong>, RAM<\/strong>, hard disk space<\/strong>, etc. – so does your server. And those resources have a set capacity. You can’t just download a million videos because, at some point, you will run out of space. The same goes with opening a hundred apps at once – you can only operate with as much as the system can take.<\/p>\n

A web server is pretty much the same.<\/p>\n

Unlimited Space<\/h2>\n

\u0410 quantitative resource like Disk Space can never be unlimited. Have you ever heard of a manufacturer selling HDD or SSD drives<\/strong><\/a> with no capacity limit? Or a server that magically grows more disks when it runs out of what’s available?<\/p>\n

There is another thing that should ring your alarm.<\/p>\n

How come Unlimited is only advertized when offering shared hosting services<\/strong><\/a>? Those are typically the ones that accommodate mostly smaller websites and house the most users per server. So how come they are also the most affordable and generous?<\/p>\n

Easy answer – they’re not.<\/p>\n

In reality, hosting providers can find many ways to limit your account without breaking the Unlimited promise directly. The Terms of Service<\/strong> often cleverly hide clauses that restrict you from adding more than X files or Y files from the same type. It makes some sense business-wise, as this way hosts can get rid of users who just use their servers for storage, overloading the machines for all other clients.<\/p>\n

But as a customer – it’s not really fair, and we get it.<\/p>\n

Unlimited Bandwidth<\/h2>\n

This one is a bit tricky as Bandwidth is something that can theoretically be unmetered<\/strong>. While many hosts can’t really guarantee such an environment, some configurations allow for scalable upgrades when needed. Burstable RAM<\/strong> is one such technology, helping the provider handle sudden traffic spikes.<\/p>\n

Remember that it’s always good the check the more important parts of the host’s Terms of Service – fair usage policies<\/strong>, SLA guarantees<\/strong>, upgrade options<\/strong>. This will give you a clear picture of what stands behind the buzzword Unlimited Bandwidth and what you can expect in terms of performance.<\/p>\n

Possible Solutions<\/h2>\n

Now that we’ve learned not to get so easily distracted by grand promises, here are some tips you can have in mind to avoid surprising limitations and forced account blocks.<\/p>\n