Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, is a protocol that is used to encrypt the info exchanged between a web server and its users. The practical application of using an SSL is to preserve the data that clients submit on your website - a login page, a payment page if you run a web-based store, etc. Any data they type in in any box on the website will be submitted securely to the server, so their login or payment information shall be protected from being accessed by unauthorized people. Normally, an SSL certificate needs a dedicated IP address to be installed, which means the overall cost for your online presence shall be higher. While this might not be an issue for a larger business, it might matter for a non-profit organization or a small web store that doesn't generate big income if additional money should be spent. That's the main reason why we have taken advantage of an extension known as Server Name Indication (SNI) and we've made it possible to use a shared server IP address to install an SSL certificate.
Shared SSL IP in Cloud Hosting
A shared IP can be used for any SSL certificate, regardless if you buy it from our company or from a different seller and regardless of the cloud hosting service that you have on our end. If you get the SSL from us, you shall find this option on the certificate order page inside your hosting Control Panel where you could also make use of the 1-click automatic configuration option we offer. If the latter is picked in the SSL order wizard, our system will install and set up everything for you using the specifically configured server shared IP address, therefore once you order and approve the SSL, there won't be anything else to do on your end. You could save the money that you'll otherwise need to pay for a dedicated IP address and the SSL will function in the exact same way, so any information the visitors submit shall be encoded. The sole difference is that if you enter the shared IP address instead of your domain inside a browser, the website will not display.
Shared SSL IP in Semi-dedicated Servers
The shared IP address option is available with all semi-dedicated servers and the setup takes only a couple of clicks inside the hosting CP regardless if you order an SSL from our enterprise or through a third-party provider. There will not be any difference in terms of how the certificate functions or encodes the info your visitors submit, so your site will be protected without spending any additional cash for a dedicated IP. The one thing that'll be different is that https://the-shared-IP will not open your site, unlike https://the-dedicated-IP, but it's extremely unlikely that anybody will ever try to access your site in this way instead of typing your domain. We also offer an auto-configuration option for the SSLs obtained via our company and if you select it and you decide to use a shared IP address rather than a dedicated one, our system shall set everything up the instant the SSL is approved and issued with no need for any action on your end.