A virtual private server (VPS) occupies the middle ground between shared hosting, which is inexpensive but less reliable, and dedicated servers, which come at a greater cost. For many small to medium businesses, VPS hosting is the best choice.
What are virtual servers?
Shared hosting is where many domain names and their website files are hosted on one server. As a business grows, shared hosting may not have enough power to handle a growing number of visitors and their interactions with the site. There will also be restrictions on the total amount of space on the server that the website can occupy.
With VPS hosting, you still share a server with other domain names, but a lot fewer of them than in a shared hosting package. All the domain names share the cost of being on the server without having to pay the full costs of a dedicated server.
In a shared hosting service, many resources are shared with other websites. On a virtual server, your files are in a partitioned area of the server for your exclusive use. This will have its own operating system and there will be data transfer, storage and RAM limits, which will normally be higher than the limits of a shared server. The limits on virtual servers are generous and sufficient for most small-to-medium businesses. VPS can provide a smoother and more reliable website performance.
In contrast, a dedicated server offers exclusive space for one domain name or a number of domain names owned by the same business.
Flexible hosting
A small business just starting out may have a small website and a few email addresses. This will probably be fine for a while, but when the business expands, it could outgrow the shared hosting service. You need a flexible web hosting package that enables you to quickly and easily move to VPS.
For large businesses with a sizeable website and many email addresses for different departments and individual staff members, a dedicated server may be more suitable.
Expect to pay a low monthly fee for shared hosting, a little more for virtual private server hosting, and a lot more for a dedicated server.
The VPS server type
Most virtual servers run on the Linux or Windows operating systems. Linux is cheaper, but Windows-based VPS hosting may be needed for some Microsoft software that runs in a Windows environment. A web hosting provider will tell you if you need a Windows server.
Finding the VPS features your business needs
There are several features to be aware of when you’re looking for the best virtual server. A VPS provider may have a number of plans that vary concerning the amount of file storage and monthly data transfer limits. Make sure you select one that matches your requirements. It’s worth considering a hosting plan that can be upgraded quickly if you start to reach the data transfer and storage limits.
If your business owns a number of domains, you need a package that can host more than one domain name with all websites and emails. You can buy hosting packages that are unlimited, though these will be more expensive.
Of course, more than anything, you need the server to be reliable so that your site can be accessed at all times.
POP Telecom for VPS
At POP Telecom, we provide a range of business broadband and telecommunications services, including all the hosting solutions you may require. You can rest assured that we will host your websites and emails on secure and reliable servers.