Disk space. The more the better right? Not all of the time.
Disk space is one thing web hosting companies use to compete against each other. Many are even offering "Unlimited Disk Space" now. Do you really need unlimited disk space with your Rails hosting?
Your Rails site is really just a collection of files containing Ruby code. Files always need to be saved somewhere. On web servers this is typically to the hard drives or to a large disk server. With the recent advances in technology though, the actual cost per megabyte (MB) has gotten so low that it is almost zero. Rails web hosts also have so many customers and operate with such volume, that the costs to maintain these disks are even lower. But there still is some cost involved with keeping the hard drives working; electricity to power the drives, a network to connect to the drives, and even man power to make sure the drives stay online.
Whenever you visit a site promoting "Unlimited Disk Space" as a feature, make sure to read the Acceptable Use Policy or the Terms of Service. There will probably be some fine print about the so-called "Unlimited Disk Space".
The good news is that most Ruby on Rails sites don't need that much disk. Since all of the code in Rails is just text, it can be stored pretty efficiently. What you need to watch out for are the non-text files on your website, specifically the sizes of your:
* Images
* Flash applications
* Audio files
* Video files
* Any files you let your users upload
In my experience, even a large Rails application will only need a few hundred megabytes (MB) for it's files. If you are letting users upload files, you will probably exceed that amount. Just make sure to monitor how much disk space your users are using and take corrective action if you are getting close to your limit.
So no, most Ruby on Rails applications don't need a lot of disk space from their host. In the rare event that you do, you could contact your web host and see about buying more disk space or upgrading your plan.
Even though "Unlimited Disk Space" is a myth, there are a few Rails hosting companies that give you so much disk space that you will never run out. Rails Dreamhost is one of my favorite hosting companies that support the latest versions of Ruby on Rails.
Author Resource:
Even though "Unlimited Disk Space" is a myth, there are a few Rails hosting companies that give you so much disk space that you will never run out. Rails on Bluehost is one of my favorite hosting companies where running out of disk space isn't a problem at all.
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