Virtual private servers, most often abbreviated as VPS, are one of the main options that you can choose from when it comes to hosting. Over the last couple of years they have managed to gain an increasingly better reputation due to the fact that they are easily scalable and can provide users with some very valuable features for the appropriate (and reasonable) amount of money. But what are VPS servers and what are the properties that can make them an optimal choice when it comes to hosting?
What is a VPS?
A virtual private server utilizes virtualization technology to create a virtual machine environment on a given physical server. This allows every website or application, which is currently located and hosted on that particular server, to have its own resources that can be utilized independently, despite occupying the same server space. This is the main difference between VPS and shared hosting for example, as with shared hosting, everyone on the server is required to share its resources amongst each other, meaning that an influx of traffic and resource consumption on behalf of one site or app, can negatively impact the rest, which are situated on the server.
Virtual private servers advantages
There are quite a few benefits that VPS servers can offer when it comes to the other hosting types. As we already mentioned, VPS hosting is much better in comparison to the shared option due to the fact that it allows for everyone to have their own resources in spite of being located on the same server. Furthemore, a VPS also does this at an affordable price. Dedicated hosting for example utilizes servers that are reserved for only one user (website or application). However, while quite useful and also capable of providing extremely high performance in terms of power, dedicated servers are super expensive due to the fact that the whole server is designed to accommodate only a single user. A VPS can work in a similar way and it can cost substantially less, making it quite the most optimal hosting choice.
Another advantage that these servers have is their ability to scale in relation to the user’s requirements. If you have a website and you happen to see a quite drastic increase in traffic, you can simply add more resources onto your VPS server, including active memory or additional storage. On the other hand, you can also remove resources if you are not using them, resulting in you having to pay less overall. This flexibility allows you to practically customize your VPS server while also keeping it budget-friendly.
Moreover, you can also choose between a number of different operating systems when it comes to your server. Even though Linux and its many distributions are a go-to option for most, Windows VPS also exists as a viable choice and it has been slowly rising to prominence over the last few years, making it quite the popular contender. However, you must keep in mind that running a Windows server does require an additional license that needs to be purchased prior to deployment. Luckily, most hosting providers do offer it for a substantially lower price in comparison to what you would need to pay if you buy it from somewhere else with some providers even including it in the price.
What is more, some hosting service providers even allow their customers to purchase their servers using a number of alternative payment methods. This is quite useful as it can allow clients to pay internationally with lower transaction fees, while also preserving their privacy. Furthermore, it also provides another payment channel as some users might not have access to traditional payment methods such as banking or PayPal.
Another benefit that some providers can offer their customers is the ability to create snapshots and backups for their server. This feature in particular is quite integral and should not be neglected as it can be utilized to recover your website or application in cases of hacker attacks or forced server shutdowns.
Staying on the topic of hackers, there are many instances of DDoS attempts worldwide. A DDoS attack refers to creating artificial traffic to a given website, causing it to shut down due to its inability to cope with all of the requests that are being sent. Because of this, it is vital to find a provider that can offer you great DDoS protection, which will keep your website or application safe.
Finally, with a VPS, you have the ability to access the server through SSH, meaning that you can personally adjust any settings, install additional software or make any changes in general. While this will be more beneficial to experienced users, it is still an important feature to have. If you happen to lack the experience yourself, you can always contact your hosting provider and request some help or assistance.
Is a VPS actually worth it?
Simply said, yes. A VPS is probably the most optimal choice that you can go for when it comes to hosting. This is so because it is relatively affordable and is also capable of providing you with a high quality service in the long run. It basically combines the simplicity of shared hosting and the resource availability of dedicated servers to create a customizable and personalizable service that you can utilize. Because of this, it can be stated that a VPS employs the perfect ratio between resources and price.
