What is Hosting?
If you are a web developer, then this term is not new to you, but for the sake of those who are not into web design, I will expound on it. Hosting is just a process by which a website is uploaded to a server (a supercomputer with more ram, processing power storage as opposed to a desktop) so that your site can be accessed by virtually anyone from any part of the globe as long as they are connected to the internet.Types of hosting.
Hosting companies provides two types of web hosting which include;• Shared server hosting- this is where users are allocated a single server.
• Dedicated server hosting- in this one, a single user (this may be a company, firm, institution, etc.) is allocated an individual server.
Over the course of years, due to advancement in technology through virtualization of hardware and software components, there has arisen a new form of hosting known as Virtual Private Server Hosting.
Virtual Private Server Hosting.
VPS is a term that has been confusing many in the web development field. It is the youngest type of hosting but has gained significant popularity in the market. VPS in its basic form can be considered as a hybrid of both the shared and dedicated hosting. This is because it uses a single server that has been partitioned into several private environments. These private’ environments have their own Operating system and act as if it’s a single server. Therefore, as opposed to shared hosting, a user doesn’t have to compete for resources with other users on the same server. For instance, if your VPS has a 32GB of RAM, you use the whole 32GB to yourself unlike in shared hosting where the first person to grab the resource uses the biggest share.Why you should switch to a VPS.
Unless you are running a simple website with little or no traffic at all that you just want to keep live, it is of utmost importance that you switch to a VPS account. Especially if you are running a serious online business whether big or small.
Benefits of a VPS over Shared server hosting.
1. Easy scalability when needed.If you are starting a business that you hope to expand later, then a VPS is the perfect choice for you. When establishing your website, it may not need as many resources for a start but may require in future, with a VPS you can add the resources as simply as with a click of a button. For instance, if you want to increase your Ram, you do so by just clicking a button. This implies that your website will not experience any downtime whatsoever as it would be with shared hosting.
2. More control of your server environment.
Unlike in shared hosting, with VPS you get complete control of your root environment. If for instance, you want to add a custom software package, you do so without the need to consult with the hosting provider. I have had a personal experience on this issue. One time I was working on a client’s site that I had designed with WordPress. When I went to host it, the hosting company I had chosen did not support WordPress installation, and I had to change to another hosting provider. Thus, with a VPS you can overcome this and other issues that may arise.
3. VPS is more reliable and has better stability.
If you are hosting on a shared server, the performance of your site is dependent and can be impacted by the other sites on the same server. This means if another website on the server caused the server to go down, your site would not be exempted. But with a VPS your uptime is independent of all other sites on the server where you share private environments.
4. Improved efficiency, and adopts green technology for environmental conservation.
One of the most widely discussed topic all around the globe in all summits and conferences is the adoption of green technology in all fields so as to minimize carbon emission and conserve our planet. VPS has come into play to achieve this for the web design and development industry. How? Well with a dedicated server hosting, each user have their own physical servers. So if we had 10 clients then there are 10 dedicated physical servers all of which emit carbon oxides to a certain degree. However, with a VPS the 10 clients just need a single physical server that operates in the same way as the 10 servers in dedicated hosting. This is achieved through a virtualization process that is extremely sophisticated.
5. Cost effective.
A VPS bridges the gap between a shared server and a dedicated server. A VPS is way less than a dedicated server and offers roughly more or less the same services. Therefore I would recommend you switch to a VPS account and experience the difference.
Drawbacks of a VPS.
Just like any other hosting platform you choose, VPS is bound to have a few drawbacks.• Limited bandwidth and storage: most shared servers offer an unlimited storage space and bandwidth. However, most companies won’t allow you to stuff this space with all content you wish. With a medium size VPS, you get about 40GB of storage, but this is more than enough for any medium size website. For the bandwidth, you get around 1TB of data which can support about 500,000+ visitors per month. Therefore although this is a drawback, it cannot necessarily deter one from switching to a VPS account.
• Inappropriate allocation of resources: this may occur with hosting companies that oversell their space. As a result, if your website uses the allocated resources to its peak level, your site may experience issues. The best thing to do is ensure you hire a credible and established hosting provider and ensure you understand the number of users with whom you are sharing the server.
Conclusion:
Although the VPS has a few drawbacks which we have seen can be combated, it hosts a lot of benefits. Therefore, if you are searching for a hosting company, you now understand Why You Should Use a VPS Instead Of Shared Hosting. I wish you success in your online business.
