What is VPS Hosting?

Posted by The Popular News Today on Monday, August 8, 2011

By Matt Ewing


When we talk about VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting, it refers to the hosting of a mixed bag of entities for different customers in just one server. What it does is that it lets the service provider create a division of one single server into several virtual servers. This is fairly interesting that the customers can share the server entirely including the connection and the hardware as well. This aspect is of immense importance that like the dedicated hosting (suggesting things like a file system and a private operating system), this also endows you with safe access. This kind, which is somewhat like a combination of a dedicated and a shared hosting, is also advantageous because it cuts down the cost for providing an improved performance with privacy if you compare it with dedicated hosting.

The added benefits of the service are also quite attractive. For example, alongwith the service at low cost and full security customers can also access certain options which will help them control certain features of the service. For instance customers can change the server configurations to suit their needs, install software whenever needed, reboot server whenever necessary etc. Therefore it can be very well understood that this service is actually providing all the benefits of a shared hosting as well as that of any dedicated hosting. Thus any one who would like to switch over from shared hosting to dedicated service due to security reasons or any other reasons then they might very well opt for VPS hosting as it would serve all their needs. In fact it would only cost about $10/month and is thought to be the best for all online business men and women. The reason that it is called the best is simply due to the uniqueness of operating and file system for every single customer.

It doesn't end here. What it adds to your credit is that in case of reselling of the hosting, you possess a good grip over your offered services and make yourself perfect amongst the competitors. Also, VPS hosting is undoubtedly a bright option in order to build up a social networking site or a blog having enriched functions from the viewpoint of such web developers. Well, if you are a Webmaster and satisfied with a shared hosting provided you do have the opportunity of improving your technical expertise, go for a VPS hosting. It is perfect for you, as it doesn't prompt you to expose to a dedicated server. Adding to its tally, this endows the webmasters with the option of installing some custom applications and they can also alter the modules for their servers, if needed. This information is of paramount significance that a VPS environment is accompanied by an exclusive software for its hosting providing a reliable security over the websites under their supervision. Security is well guaranteed because the resources are also distinctive.

An initial and the entry level web hosting plan endows you with things like PHP/MySQL, etc., having limited disk space on a shared server. Whereas, co-location puts the hardware in your grip and you simply have to rent an Internet connection and a rack space from data center. VPS hosting stands between these two like a connector. VPS option is inexpensive and perfect if you can't afford a co-location web hosting plan but want to avail a shared hosting.

As for the lower expenses, a dedicated web hosting plan is at least better than co-locating. Let it put in this manner that this is priced bearing in mind the competitive market. A dedicated host endows you with a dedicated server. Its cost is not as low as a VPS web hosting plan but it is well within your reach. As far as its scheme is concerned, you do get the server from the host company but you don't need to hire the rack space for the server like you need to do in co-location.

Now let us move to the various advantageous features of the VPS hosting. They are as follows:

Provides access for installation or configuration of any program whatsoever and at anytime the customer wants.

Provides features which enables hosting of multiple sites by using virtual hosts that are provided by Apache.

Added to this, you also get an FTP server, a mail server, and any other server that you are in need of.

The servers provided can be used by the customer in any way he would want to.

It has also some disadvantages and they are as follows:

The VPS web hosting brings the entire server under your control which makes you accountable for any action you undertake using the server. Thus you yourself become accountable for your personal safety as such your security thus becomes totally dependable on your actions. You can charge no one for any breach of security which is an important aspect that you should count on before taking up VPS.

A VPS web host server gives you the whole operating system to work with, but you need to share the hardware resources like RAM, CPU, etc. with other users of the VPS on the same host. So if your business demands high performance or the usage of programs which involve the RAM to a huge extent, it would be better to go for co-location or a dedicated server.

The manner in which it works:

A VPS system works using a combination of variety of technologies and software like Microsoft Virtual PC, XEN etc. XEN is the newest craze and with the new project of combining with Linux it will be becoming the hottest thing on VPS. It will provide freedom to users which will be ten times more than what they get now and all of this at an extremely low cost.

Using your VPS account you will get to access core areas of the server provided to you. Working with a Linux server you will get to use it to your full advantage and control everything using this core access advantage. But remember that along with full control you also become liable for anything you do so if Linux is not the thing for you then forget about VPS.

However if you are extremely eager to use VPS then you can choose from the many disk images that will be offered to you. In fact they will also provide you with multiple distributions that you can choose from the default configurations. Just specify what you want and the VPS will be configured just to your choice in a couple of minutes. After this you will have access to the core area and the service is yours to use in any way you feel like.

Costs can vary from $20 to $100/month but cost does not indicate quality. At $20 you get 2GB disk space and 64MB RAM that you can start off with and move to the higher ends of the service after you get accustomed to the service and its usage.




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