VPS Web Hosting

What is Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting?

VPS Web Hosting is between shared and dedicated hosting in terms of resources.  Basically a virtual private server is a server divided into smaller parts. In many aspects it’s just like a dedicated server: has it’s own operating system and can be rebooted separately from other VPS accounts.

When do you need VPS Hosting?

Webmasters often write on forums that their shared hosting account is suspended or their website displays errors because the resources assigned to their shared hosting account are simply not enough. This happens when a website gets a huge number of visitors, has a big number of files or takes up too much web space. Often this is the reason people are looking for VPS.

The other most common reason for choosing VPS hosting is to run custom applications on the server. Depending on the VPS type, you can even run Windows applications on them.

What are the advantages of VPS Web Hosting?

Guaranteed resources

Got big traffic? Need more space? A VPS will most likely handle it. With a Virtual Private Server you get a certain amount of resources and don’t have to share it with anyone else. This simply means that there are no other websites taking resources from from your site. Additionally it gives you room to grow your business.

Flexibility

In most cases you get root access to a VPS server. This means that you have more options in configuring the server and what you are using it for. You can add custom scripts and can run many kind of softwares. You have the ability to choose from the different programming languages (like php and asp).

Great value/cost

A virtual private server offers great value for a lower cost. It’s like having a dedicated server but with the fraction of the cost. A dedicated server costs hundreds if not thousands of dollars per month. A VPS is closer to shared hosting in price.

More security

This is not always true, especially if you are not familiar with managing a server. However if you are, you can set your server up so that it is more secure than any shared hosting platform. This is achieved thanks to tha fact that only one person uses the resources so the number of security vulnerabilities can be managed easier.

Disadvantages of a Virtual Private Server

As I mentioned earlier, you have to have a certain knowledge to manage these servers. In case of a managed VPS, you can still rely greatly on the hosting company’s support. However if you have an unmanaged VPS account, you have to manage everything and the support of the hosting company is limited only to hardware failures or other non-software related problems.

The other important thing is that compared to a dedicated server, VPS hosting offers less resources and in many cases the reliability is lower than that of a dedicated server.

Bottom line

If your website has grown out of a shared hosting account, you have no choice but upgrade and VPS is more affordable than a dedicated server. If your site is only starting up but you are pretty sure it is going to be a huge succes, you may consider starting with a virtual private server and save yourself from the issue of moving your website later.