Most new website owners are overwhelmed by the technical jargon and the number of options available in web hosting. Should they opt for Shared Hosting or Cloud Hosting? Is a Dedicated Hosting better or will a VPS do the job efficiently? It is a difficult choice. One of the best ways to make a decision is by understanding what these options mean and choosing the one that is best suited to your website. Today, we will offer a detailed guide to VPS Hosting to help you understand it better.
What is VPS Hosting?
VPS Hosting is a web hosting service where your website is stored on a virtual server. The hosting provider uses a virtualization software called the hypervisor to divide the physical web server into multiple virtual servers. Each virtual server is allotted dedicated RAM, storage, CPU, etc. and work in isolation from each other. Also, the VPS Hosting Server has complete root access allowing you to customize the hosting environment as per your needs.
Web hosting services based on a VPS are available in many variants:
VPS plans based on your choice of the Operating System
- Windows VPS Hosting
- Linux VPS Hosting
VPS plans based on whether you want to manage the VPS yourself or not
- Managed Hosting
- Unmanaged Hosting
Therefore, you can four types of VPS Hosting plans:
- Managed Windows VPS Hosting
- Unmanaged Windows VPS Hosting
- Managed Linux VPS Hosting
- Unmanaged Linux VPS Hosting
Features and Benefits of VPS Hosting
- Complete Root Access – The root access is like having administrative access on your personal computer. It allows you to install software and applications as required and customize the environment as needed.
- Efficient management of traffic spikes – Since the VPS has account isolation, you can add resources whenever you want within no time. This allows you to manage traffic spikes efficiently.
- SSD VPS Hosting option – May hosting providers have started offering solid-state drive or SSD-based VPS services. As compared to the traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), SSDs offer better performance and speed of the server. This has a positive impact on your site’s performance.
When should you migrate to a VPS Hosting plan?
You must consider shifting to a Virtual Private Server Hosting plan if:
- You are currently using Shared Hosting services and want to upgrade your hosting plan since your website has experienced growth. However, you don’t want to spend on a Dedicated Hosting but want the benefits of one. VPS Hosting is a cost-efficient hosting option.
- Your current hosting plan does not offer instant resource scalability to manage traffic spikes.
- You are looking for account isolation to be in complete control of your server’s security.
- You want to install custom software and create a customized hosting environment.
Summing Up
VPS Hosting plans are considered to be a natural progression from Shared Hosting plans before moving to a Dedicated Hosting. However, it is important to remember that managing a VPS and benefitting from its features requires some amount of technical expertise. Before you buy a VPS plan, talk to the web hosting provider and choose one that is best suited to you and your website. Good Luck!