Many website owners start their website journey with a shared hosting plan. But as their business begins to grow and demand better online resources, they should keep up by upgrading their hosting.
And usually, the next hosting type to go to is VPS hosting.
A virtual private server hosting splits one powerful server into multiple virtual spaces.
This means that although you share one server with several other users, you don’t share the same resources, such as bandwidth, disk space, and memory.
VPS hosting is ideal for SMEs that want greater flexibility and control over their server. It also combines the advantages of shared and dedicated hosting.
All You Need to Know About VPS Hosting
How VPS works
VPS works like a dedicated hosting environment in terms of giving you dedicated resources within a shared server.
Your hosting provider installs a layer above the server’s operating system through virtualisation. This layer divides the server into multiple compartments, which are distributed to multiple users. With their own virtual space, users can install and manage their OS and hosting resources.
Separating your files from other server users makes VPS private. In short, you won’t be sharing memory, disk space, and bandwidth with others.
Because of this, VPS hosting works well with web development agencies, eCommerce sites, and hosting resellers.
Still having trouble understanding VPS? Let’s compare it with other hosting types.
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Other hosting types
Shared Hosting
Shared web hosting is usually a great ‘’starting point’’ for new web owners and bloggers. It involves sharing the same resources with users on the same server. It’s the best solution for websites handling less traffic.
You can imagine shared hosting like a dormitory wherein you share a room with another person. Both of you share the same space, bathroom, and kitchen— keeping maintenance costs low.
But when you have the budget to live on your own, you can now choose to move to an apartment— dedicated only to you.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is best for large websites and applications. In buying this type of hosting, the customer gets an entire server all to himself.
The ability to give users one whole server to control and manage justifies the price of dedicated hosting. No other website will be able to share your server and its resources.
VPS Hosting
VPS acts as the best of both worlds of the two hosting types.
You cut costs by sharing a server and get a dedicated space through virtualisation. Resources like bandwidth, disk space, and RAM, are yours and yours alone.
It’s also great for businesses managing multiple websites gaining a lot of traffic.
In a nutshell, VPS gives you more power and autonomy at a low cost.
When to go for VPS hosting
Now that we have a better understanding of VPS, the next thing to ask is: when should you transfer to this type of hosting? Here are three signs to consider:
You want stronger security
VPS offers better security than shared hosting since you get a dedicated virtual space to yourself. No other user on the shared server can penetrate your space, so it’s less likely to run into cyberattacks that are meant for other websites.
You’re experiencing higher traffic
On average, shared hosting can only accommodate up to 2,000 visitors a day. If you notice a constant increase to your site traffic, transfer to a VPS hosting plan.
For example, your blog page begins to get more visitors due to a viral content piece. Your page will either load slowly or experience downtime if you’re still on a shared server. And every second of downtime can affect your business’ reputation.
You want to save
The biggest takeaway of VPS is its cost-effectiveness.
Sure, it’s a bit expensive compared to shared hosting, but its benefits help your website in the long run. This makes it a worthy online investment.
With VPS hosting, you get dedicated resources to manage your virtual server at an affordable price.
Take the next step for growing business
When it comes to choosing the right hosting, base your judgment on your website’s needs.
You may opt for a shared hosting plan if you’re just starting with your website journey. Overtime when your business grows—along with its online demands—that’s the time to consider switching to a more powerful, scalable hosting.
