2026-11-06

Hugo Ploeg

'Hosting' is a term you regularly come across when dealing with websites, domain names and IT solutions. But what exactly is it? Simply put, hosting ensures that websites, applications and other digital systems remain online, accessible and functioning properly. Because without hosting, a website simply cannot exist. In this blog, we explain (without complicated IT jargon that loses you halfway through) exactly what hosting is and why good hosting matters.

What is hosting?

Let's start at the beginning — what exactly is hosting? 'Hosting' literally means storing or housing digital data on a server. This can be anything: a website, webshop, application, database, files or even an email address. With hosting, data is stored on a server: a system that is continuously connected to the internet. This allows websites and applications to remain accessible to users at all times.

What types of hosting are there?

Not every website or application requires the same type of hosting. A simple blog requires something different than a large webshop with thousands of visitors per day. That is why there are different types of hosting. And yes, there are more than most people think. Here is a list (source: Hostinger):

• Shared hosting
  Shared hosting is the simplest and most affordable form of hosting. You share one server with multiple websites. Well-known examples include providers such as MijnDomein, WordPress or TransIP. Shared hosting reduces costs, making it a popular choice for website owners with limited reach.
• Virtual Private Server (VPS)
  Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is a middle ground between shared and a fully dedicated server. With VPS hosting, you get more freedom and more dedicated capacity within a server. A good option for websites or applications that are growing and need more flexibility.
• Dedicated server hosting
  With dedicated hosting, you get exclusive use of a complete server. This means maximum control, speed and sufficient capacity. This is particularly interesting for large companies or websites with many visitors.
• Cloud hosting
  Cloud hosting differs from traditional hosting models. With this type of hosting, you use multiple virtual servers simultaneously. This makes hosting often more stable, more scalable and more resilient to traffic spikes, for example when many people visit your website at the same time.
• Colocation hosting
  With colocation hosting, you place your own server in an external data centre. You do make use of the space, power supply and internet connection of the data centre, but the hardware remains yours.
• E-commerce hosting
  E-commerce hosting is specifically designed for webshops. This hosting includes features such as an integrated shopping cart system, payment processing and security protocols to maximally protect transactions and customer data.

How can you ensure secure hosting?

Data and online security are becoming increasingly important. Customers, partners and legislation expect organisations to handle sensitive information carefully and have security properly arranged.

And that is exactly where ISO 27001 comes in. This certification is an international standard for information security. Simply put, it demonstrates that security within an organisation is structured and professionally managed (Source: Normec). This means that a lot of attention is paid to matters such as:

• Data security
• Access management
• Privacy
• Backups
• Risk management
• Monitoring and control

So you want to ensure not only that systems work, but also that data is stored and protected securely. More and more organisations are therefore deliberately choosing hosting providers that work according to ISO 27001, because reliability and security are now at least as important as speed.

At Tible, we also work in accordance with ISO 27001 certification, so that organisations can trust that information security is structured and professionally managed.

What is the best hosting for you?

Which hosting suits you best ultimately depends on what you specifically need. Consider factors such as the number of visitors, speed, security and the level of flexibility or control that is important to you.

Can't quite figure it out yourself? No worries. At Tible, we are happy to think along with you and explain it without complicated IT jargon, because our motto is not for nothing: Tible keeps IT human.