Seemingly out of nowhere, VPS has become the preferred hosting solution for small to medium sized businesses. VPS stands for Virtual Private Server, a solution that effectively bridges the gap between the limitations of shared hosting and the flexibility of dedicated server hosting. A VPS is created by virtualisation software which partitions a single physical server to form multiple servers within it. Each virtual server is completely independent of its neighbours and functions like an actual networked server. What makes VPS hosting so popular is that it provides control at a level similar to a dedicated server at a price not too far removed from affordable shared hosting .
Here are some of the benefits that come along with VPS hosting:
Stability
Unlike shared hosting, the traffic and activities of other VPS customers will not adversely affect your operation.
Performance
Having your own allotment of resources allows you and your visitors to enjoy faster load times.
Dedicated Resources
VPS hosting provides you with more disk space, CPU and RAM.
Flexibility
You have the freedom to choose the operating system and software you want to install on the server.
VPS Features
The features and services of VPS hosting vary depending on the provider. Although the ones you will need all depends on personal requirements, here are a few you may want to look out for:
Root Access
Root access will grant you with complete control over your VPS account from configurations to software installations. All of the actions can be handled from the interface of your control panel application.
Management and Support
Similar to a dedicated hosting account, VPS hosting calls for you to manage your own server. However, there are many companies that provide support and management services to assist with administrative tasks. This feature is invaluable if you lack technical savvy.
Server Monitoring
A good VPS provider will actively monitor its network and hardware your account relies on. This ensures the physical security of the server and also helps defend against virtual threats such as hackers, malicious software and DDoS attacks.
Multiple Domain Hosting
Although shared hosts offer multiple domain hosting, most of them do not provide enough resources for you to do so and still enjoy a smooth performance. Many VPS providers offer plans that allow you to host multiple websites without suffering performance issues. In most cases, you can set up separate email accounts and allocate specific resources for each individual site.
Managed Data Backups
As with any hosting solution, a VPS plan should offer a way to backup your data. Because anything could occur within the providers network, it is recommended that you choose a service that allows you to manually backup your own data to assure that it can be restored at any time.
VPS hosting offers an inexpensive way to get many of the features, resources, control and flexibility of a more costly and complex dedicated server. With the technology increasing in popularity, prices are dropping rapidly, assuring that you can find a reliable VPS solution that meets your hosting needs.
