If you own and operate your own servers, and your server meets the requirements for installing Magento, you're all set to go. However, for most people installing Magento Community, the quest to install Magento on an appropriate hosted server is vital to insuring that their Magento stores run quickly and securely.
Hosting plans range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars per month, depending mainly on the type of server configuration you have. For most hosting providers, hosting is divided into three distinct categories:
For small beginner Magento stores, a shared server is a great way to start. In essence, you are sharing the server with other hosting clients. However, expect to outgrow this if your store begins to handle more than about 5,000 visitors each day.
Another option is a virtual machine (VM), commonly referred to as a cloud server. With a VM, the operating system is entirely abstracted from the underlying hardware...