A virtual private server, known as VPS, is a simple and low-cost way for businesses to gain efficiency and flexibility. It removes the company from shared hosting but doesn’t require them to go full-blown with a dedicated server. It’s a great interim option. The reality is, most smaller businesses don’t need a dedicated server, so the VPS bridges the gap.
How Does a Virtual Private Server Work?
Think of the VPS as one server running within another server. There’s a physical server that hosts multiple VPS at the same time. Still, they are isolated from one another with the use of software.
With each VPS running on its own system, it remains independent from the others. This provides an illusion that it’s a dedicated server, even though it’s not. You can also reboot each VPS on its own without affecting anything else running on the machine.
VPS or Shared Hosting?
With both shared hosting (more info here) and VPS hosting, the user shares the server’s resources. On a shared hosting plan, the resources divide between users. This causes an influx of bandwidth at any given time. Plus, there’s no control over how much of this bandwidth each user can have at any time.
With a VPS, there’s more customization. You have additional control over the bandwidth and data usage. When you look at VPS hosting like at https://www.greengeeks.com/vps-hosting, you see there are a lot of options regarding RAM, server space and bandwidth. It’s all yours to use and you never have to share it.
VPS or Dedicated Hosting?
Dedicated hosting (more info here) offers 100% of resources dedicated completely to your site. VPS still allows you to have the dedicated amount of resources for your server, but it’s just a larger piece of the shared server. On a dedicated host, everything is yours to use, with no restrictions.
Advantages of a VPS
There’s an advantage to every hosting option – each of which is suitable for businesses at different stages. That’s why it’s vital to establish the benefits of using a VPS, to determine if it’s the right solution for you.
Typically, the VPS is ideal for a business that needs more than shared hosting offers but doesn’t have the finances to take on a dedicated server yet. Companies looking for these features will find satisfaction with a VPS.
Lower Cost – because the hosting company spreads the cost out among all of the businesses on one machine, you have a lower price. You don’t need to be solely responsible for the costs of running and maintaining a server.
Flexibility – with your VPS setup, it’s simple to customize the software and hardware configurations to run your specific applications.
High level of security – on a shared hosting plan, you share space with other users. Their faulty scripts, resource usage and mistakes affect you. With a VPS, your accessibility and up-time aren’t dependent on what others do.
Little technical knowledge needed – when you run a dedicated server, you need to have some technical knowledge. The VPS avoids that with a simple user interface and control panels. It’s simple to install or configure the applications where a dedicated server often requires manual configuration. This knowledge is something most users don’t have naturally.
Root access – VPS functions just like an independent server, so you gain root access. This allows you to install and configure any applications or your own operating system if you wish. With shared hosting, you only gain access to the shared server directory, which doesn’t leave any room for customization.
Independent POP and FTP access – like with the other benefits, users receive maximum speed and access regardless of other user’s POP email and FTP usage.
Time for a Virtual Private Server?
There’s no one size fits all solution for business owners when it comes to web hosting. That’s why it’s imperative that you have a professional to talk to for guidance. While most small businesses find the VPS is an ideal solution, it isn’t for everyone.
