What is a Virtual Private Server (VPS): A Complete Guide

1. What is a Virtual Private Server (VPS): A Complete Guide Without any doubt, most of us will agree to the fact that a hosting market is a place of advantage. It offers myriads of customized options to serve the requisite. However, choosing between VPS vs VPN, or Cloud, Shared, or dedicated hosting for business expansion can be a tricky one. Amongst the different hosting platforms, we will be breaking down the specifics of Virtual Private Server (VPS). What is VPS Hosting? VPS or Virtual Private Server is an online, virtualized server. It mimics the environment of the dedicated server, which again is shared within a shared hosting environment. VPS, pertaining to the visual aspect, utilizes a powerful virtualization technology. This technology is responsible for splitting one powerful server into many virtual servers. The programming of the Virtual Private Server is done in an elaborate way with the help of which you can use only one machine but run numerous virtualized operating systems in it. Simply put, you are sharing a single, physical server but are experiencing the stimulus of a dedicated server. VPS hosting is a true form of a private server as it installs and wraps around a virtual layer just above the server’s operating system. This process basically separates the user files on an individual basis, that too, on the OS level. www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

2. How Does a Virtual Private Server Work? The basic process through which the VPS works is virtualization. Let us give you a closer look at its technology. If you have worked with Virtual Box or VMware, the working of VPS is quite similar to these. The work starts with the bare-metal server or dedicated server. It simply means that a server is running within another server. This work is expertly conducted with the assistance of software known as Hypervisor. The hypervisor is divided into 2 categories: 1. Hosted (runs on the standard operating system) www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

3. 2. Bare-metal or native (controls the bare-metal server’s hardware) For a better understanding, think of CPU cores or Disk space or memory drives. They all reside in the same system but work individually. VPS vs. Dedicated Hosting VPS Hosting VPS offers a dedicated resource amount that it shares from a shared server to your website. It simply gives you your individual piece from a huge resource. www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

4. Dedicated Hosting Dedicated hosting offers completely dedicated hosting servers.   It ensures that your resources are 100% dedicated to your website. VPS vs. Shared Hosting VPS Hosting VPS users receive a more customized option.   You can have more bandwidth usage, data control, server space, and RAM. Shared Hosting Feature Comparison Dedicated Hosting Shared Hosting VPS Hosting Basic troubleshooting and server administration Basic troubleshooting and server administration Skill Requirement Basic hosting skills Complete dedicated resources can be used by the websites Limited server resources can be used by the websites but with a plan Resource Utility (Server) Complete VPS resources can be used by the websites www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

5. Yes, with the help of Remote Desktop or SSH No, only connection allowed is FTP Yes, with the help of Remote Desktop or SSH Remote Access Can be Fully Managed or Self-Managed (server-based) Fully Managed or Self- Managed (with VPS plan) Hosting Support Fully Managed (default) Websites hosted within the dedicated server will share the IP address Websites hosted within the virtual private server will have the IP address Address shared with numerous websites User IP Address Software Installation (Customized) Allowed (LAMP, cPanel, OS) Allowed (LAMP, cPanel, OS) Not Allowed Complete administrative access by dedicated server users Wide-ranging administrative access by VPS users Hosting control Limited control OS Rundown Capability Has its own OS (operating system) Runs its own OS (operating system) Not compatible Unlimited websites, individual control panel access Website Hosting Capability (Numbers) As per purchased shared plan Unlimited websites, individual control panel access Cost (Approximate pricing) $80 – $1000+ USD $3 – $10 USD $10 – $150 USD Shared hosting shares resources equally between every user.   Available bandwidth remains in flux.  No control over bandwidth usage, server space, and RAM. www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

6. Comparing VPS to Other Web Hosting Types Benefits of VPS Hosting VPS hosting offers its users several benefits, which includes a number of elements. Scalable: Being an extremely scalable solution, the VPS hosting platform is not a physical server dependent. Flexible: It offers you the flexibility to customize your preferred software or hardware configurations and run the application No Higher Technical Knowledge Required: It does not require any complex technical assistance. You can easily access virtual private servers via a graphical user interface (GUI) control panels. With these panels, you can easily (manually) install your application and configure it. www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

7. Root Access: VPS works independently, giving you the freedom to manage your virtual server. It allows you to make the modifications as per your website requirement. Reliability: On the conventional level, the uptime ratings of the VPS hosting service usually stay at 99.5% and above. Better Security: As the VPS hosting domain does not share space unlike the shared hosting platforms, the aspect of security is quite higher. Extra resource usage, faulty script, or mistakes made by other users do not clog up your space or allow them to access your files. Do You Need a Virtual Private Server? This query has variable answers. Most business owners remain confused if they require VPS or other hosting platforms. If any of the requisitions matches the below pointers, you definitely require to move to a virtual private server. If your business is flourishing and you require more scalable server   If you want to have more control over your hosting server than what is offered by a shared server  If you have eCommerce websites but don’t want to make big purchases nor want sudden website crashes  If you want to run advanced applications or complex software  If you wish to have a dependable, private, yet a cost-effective server  If your website is a traffic attractor and you have to serve a flood of visitors daily www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

8. When Should You Switch to VPS? Several signs can give you the signal of switching to VPS. a) Running straight into Server Errors Have you ever come across errors like “internal server error”, “50X errors” or “service unavailable” errors? Seeing errors is not a problem as you can easily troubleshoot them. But it can be a problem if the potential customers can also see the same errors. This problem can be avoided if you upgrade your server to VPS b) Slow Running Website If you are an active user on a shared hosting program, you may often come across the problem of your website running too slow. This problem is the by-product of RAM (used by shared hosting). When your business flourish and your website see considerable growth, you need to add more content to it to drive in more traffic. Slowly, you start seeing a decrease in the loading time of your website. This is a red signal that your server is maxing out its limit. Switching to VPS ensures that your website can scale easily without worrying about slow loading time. c) High Client Traffic If your business relies on creating websites for your clients, switching to VPS can prove to be a profitable choice. With the virtual private server, you can easily host domains of unlimited numbers. Added to this, you can easily monitor the appropriate functioning of each site as the RAM size is more than enough for VPS. d) Installation of Customized Software If your website is built with common CMS (Content Management Systems) or WordPress, shared hosting can be a great option. But then again, there may be a time when you wish to engage in advanced programs, customize server configuration, or want to install a specific customized server. Aside to this, your business may require high-speed internet and 24*7 server availability for smoothly running these programs: Bookkeeping   Billing  Invoice generation  Tasks related to taxation www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

9. Shared hosting can forbid some or all of such programs. However, switching to VPS allows you to completely control the programming actions. e) Worried regarding Security Issues For any noteworthy organization, security always takes the front stage. With your business touching skies or soaring high, you may require the addition of these features: Planning to include certain online payment mode   Enhancing website reliability  Adding more backup space  Inculcating advanced monitoring capabilities  Improving security features If you require to add one or all the features, you should switch to VPS Pros and Cons of a Virtual Private Server Pros Cons It is a scalable platform with minimum resource requirements. Requires basic technical knowledge for server operations www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

10. You can easily choose between semi- managed or completely managed services. Quite expensive compared to shared hosting plans You will have better control over your virtual server and can easily use scripts. Security vulnerabilities can occur if servers are improperly configured Budget-friendly option compared to dedicated hosting plans What is a Managed VPS? It is a new form of VPS that is currently circulating in the market. It is basically created for webmasters who have a workable amount of knowledge regarding server management but want to focus on their businesses. Managed VPS providers take care of technical areas like: Security patches   Performance monitoring  Installation of operating system Choosing the Best Virtual Private Server Provider a) Server Configuration and Specs A website's performance improves if the server configuration is excellent. This is a necessity with VPS hosting. Before you fix any provider, remember to check these specs highlighted below: CPU core   IP address  Backup facility  Selection of OS  Data transfer  Storage and RAM www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243

11. b) Reliability and Uptime Always check and compare how much uptime your hosting provider is promising and actually providing to others. Take some time out and check from the provider’s website blogs, forums, and even third party trustworthy review sites. We recommend an uptime score of 99.5%. If you are informed of an even 99% score, we suggest you move on to another provider. c) VPS Server Price Do not look at the overall price in the first place. What you need to do is decide on the VPS resource that you would require to serve your site. Only after you have settled on this aspect, you should compare the host offering you the best deal. Also, choose the host who can offer you either a free trial or full money-back guarantee or both. d) Right OS – Window or Linux This choice is entirely dependent on you. If your websites are MySQL or PHP based, it is best to choose Linux based VPS hosting service. In case your websites are Microsoft SQL Server or ASP.Net technology-based, it is best to go for Windows. e) Customer Support Purchasing a service is not the ultimate solution. You also need to see if their customer service is on point when you need it the most. We advise you to thoroughly check if your preferred VPS hosting provider’s customer support has a comprehensive knowledgebase and is open round the clock. The technical team should be able to help/ fix your problem over the phone or chat even during odd hours. So, here it is! The complete and elaborate guide on VPS hosting. If you were looking up for information on hosting servers or were planning to make a switch to VPS, you no longer are an amateur. Did it help you make your choice? Share your thoughts in the comment box. www.thesagenext.com Call on: 1-855-922-7243