Virtual Private Server has been around for over 10 years now. It has the potential to scale hosting capabilities at an affordable price and high security…something that a Shared Hosting does not permit.
There are four types of hosting plans – Shared, Virtual Private Server, Managed, and Dedicated. Shared hosting is very cost-effective, but has performance issues. Customization too is difficult because of very less space to upload new applications. Business websites with future potential need Virtual Private Server, Dedicated Hosting or Managed Hosting.
Dedicated and Virtual Private Server Hosting solutions are the two best options available in the market right now. Selecting one of the two is a decision that an astute businessman needs to take considering his resource allocation and business needs.
Let us have a one on one comparison between the two types of servers so that decision-making becomes easy.
Dedicated Server is the best, but also the costliest
It occupies the top slot among all web hosting platforms available till date. You need to pay a hefty price for hosting your site on a server dedicated to your site. Small ventures cannot afford a dedicated server despite the advantage of speed and power. Thankfully, some high-end Virtual Private Server are better in performance than even dedicated servers.
One thing that stands out in case of a dedicated server is the complete control that a user enjoys. Customize it the way you want to and also reboot it when required.
A Dedicated Hosting is as good as its hardware. A fully devoted hardware gives that extra mileage which makes the customer feel truly empowered. The customer of a Dedicated Hosting gets full memory space, processing power, hard drive storage capacity and network access. All these factors contribute to high performance of a website. Commercial websites like e-commerce platforms can leverage these advantages to monetize their websites.
Virtual Private Server costs less and also gives more power
Virtual Private Server are popular because they cost less while offering features that are almost at par with any good dedicated server. Here, your site shares one server with other sites. A dedicated server hosts only one account on one server. Despite this exclusivity offered by a dedicated server, Virtual Private Server provides all the benefits for a business which is keen to upgrade from an existing shared hosting.
On the face of it, a shared hosting promises unlimited bandwidth and storage, but what it does not guarantee is CPU power and/or memory. Shared hosting does not allow unrestricted installation of software because of its potential to disturb other accounts on the server.
Virtual Private Server, in contrast, provides round-the-clock resources with a provision to give extra resources whenever the server allows.
Root Access
Root access is an most important feature that comes with Virtual Private Server. Root access gives a user total control over his Virtual Private Server account, from configurations to software installations. This gives a user the freedom to install a software of his choice without the need to see the “approved list.” With root access, you can handle all actions through the control panel application’s interface. He can also reboot at will.
A disclaimer: Not all Virtual Private Server plans come with the above mentioned benefits. Customers are advised to check all features of the plan before taking the final decision.
Less hardware use does not necessarily mean a good package. Don’t get lured by Virtual Private Server packages that play on numbers. For example, if a Virtual Private Server promises CPU performance of 1 GHz and a memory of 384 MB, watch out for the finer print. Conditions may apply. The service provider may have split the memory into chunks. A low-intensity website may still work with scattered pieces of CPUs. However, high-performance software or processes require an integrated CPU.
Choose a Virtual Private Server package only after you have made adequate inquiries about downtime and upgrading options. Terminologies can be misleading. Downtimes can have an adverse impact on revenues. So, do not take this component of the Virtual Private Server package casually.
Know what is best for you
The Virtual Private Server gives users better control over the server and even assists in running programs. A Dedicated Hosting scores above Virtual Private Server by giving access to all resources of a server. It also ensures the server does not slow down because of bad scripts on another website or an unusual rise in bandwidth use.
A Dedicated Server has several advantages, but the cost may be too high for some to afford. Virtual Private Server hosting gives exactly what the user asks for at a reasonable price.
While you set your priority balancing between price and performance, do keep in mind that compatibility is an equally important aspect when it comes to selecting the right hosting platform. Big and established hosting companies make the selection job simple.
Yet another way is to look for the best price to service ratio. Flexibility of operation and your ultimate objective of running the website are the other deciding factors before you choose the right hosting platform.