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Web Hosting I/O Usage, IOPS Limit, And Entry Processes Limit

Introduction

When you look for web hosting, you see many packages. They advertise storage, bandwidth, memory, and CPU. These are the standard factors. However, several other technical limits are very important. Web hosting companies often do not mention these factors to regular users. You should know about them before you choose a hosting plan. This guide will look deeper into these important technical specifications.

Key Technical Specifications

These factors dictate how fast and smoothly your website can run its operations.

What is Web Hosting I/O Usage?

I/O usage stands for Disk Input and Output. The disk I/O speed determines the speed. It controls how fast your website or its scripts can perform read and write operations on the server. The server performs I/O operations whenever someone visits your site. It also happens when you send or receive an email.

Higher I/O limits are always better for performance. A slow I/O speed makes your website and scripts perform slowly. This happens even if you have large amounts of RAM and bandwidth. Low I/O speed damages your online reputation. It can also cause data loss or bad email communication.

Web hosting providers often limit this speed. It is expensive for them to offer high I/O. Shared servers commonly have a low limit like $1 \text{ MB/s}$.

  • Benefits of Higher I/O Limit:

    • The server executes more read/write data on the disk.
    • Large scripts can run faster easily.
    • It helps in running large database queries smoothly.
    • It prevents the website from freezing or slowing down.
    • It is useful for hosting videos or streaming content.

What Does IOPS Mean?

IOPS stands for Inputs Outputs Per Second. It is similar to I/O speed. IOPS measures the speed at which a hard drive reads and writes data. This metric is used for traditional hard drives and also for modern SSD drives. For example, a basic SATA drive might offer about 80 IOPS.

Higher IOPS means your website will be much faster. Some hosts offer SSD hosting. They still limit the IOPS value for every individual account. You must always remember that a higher IOPS value means faster website performance.

What Is the Entry Processes Limit?

An Entry Process refers to the number of PHP scripts running at the same moment. One entry process usually takes only about one second to finish its task. Many people confuse the entry process limit with the number of visitors allowed. For example, an entry process limit of 30 does not mean only 30 people can visit at once.

It is rare for many visitors to access the website at the same exact second. Other tasks also use these processes. These tasks include shell scripts and cron jobs. A higher entry process limit helps if you plan to host multiple websites on one server.

  • Benefits of Higher Entry Processes Limit:

    • It helps handle a large amount of website traffic efficiently.
    • More scripts can run simultaneously without issues.
    • It makes websites faster, especially for e-commerce sites. E-commerce sites run many PHP scripts for database queries.
    • It prevents your website from getting suspended during high traffic spikes.
    • It is crucial for running multiple web applications or a large WordPress multi-site.

What Is the Number of Processes?

The Number of Processes refers to the limit of simultaneous processes running per cPanel account. A standard shared server usually limits this to 25 concurrent processes. This limit works well for most websites. Processes open and close very quickly. They hardly ever overlap.

These simultaneous processes include different types of connections. They include IMAP email connections and SSH connections. They are similar to entry processes. However, these processes include every task generated by the account. This excludes specific page loads, SSH, or cron jobs. If you cross this limit, your website will show an error 500 or error 503 message.

A higher limit benefits you if you have many simultaneous users. This is important for tasks like accessing emails through IMAP or using FTP.

Cantech’s Hosting Features for You

Cantech believes in complete transparency for technical limits.

  • Transparent Metrics: We provide clear details on I/O, IOPS, and process limits. You know exactly what resources you are getting.
  • Performance Optimization: Our servers are optimized for better performance. This ensures your website runs efficiently even under load.
  • Expert Support: Our team understands these technical specifications. We can answer your specific questions before you sign up.

Conclusion

You must look beyond the standard factors when choosing a hosting package. These often-hidden specifications, like I/O, IOPS, and process limits, are extremely important. Do not just look for unlimited storage or bandwidth. You should always be aware of the real technical limitations of the plan you choose. Knowing these details helps you make a better decision.

FAQs About Hosting Limits

Where can I see these limits in my cPanel?

You can usually find these usage statistics in the Metrics or Statistics section of your cPanel dashboard. You can also check your hosting resource usage page.

Does low I/O usage mean my website is not busy?

Not necessarily. Low I/O usage might mean your website is not busy. It can also mean your hosting plan limits the speed. This limit stops your website from processing data quickly.

Are Entry Processes related to the PHP memory limit?

No, they are different. The Entry Process limit controls the number of running scripts. The PHP memory limit controls the maximum memory each script can consume.

Can high IOPS benefit a static website?

Yes, but the benefit is smaller. High IOPS mostly helps dynamic websites. Dynamic sites constantly read from and write to the database.

Can I increase these limits later?

Yes, you can usually increase these limits. This often requires upgrading your hosting package. It might require moving from a shared plan to a VPS or dedicated server.

January 19, 2026