What is VPS Hosting? Everything You Need to Know About Virtual Private Servers

What is VPS Hosting? Everything You Need to Know About Virtual Private Servers

When comparing VPS hosting with shared hosting, VPS is the safer and more stable option since you don’t share dedicated server space with others. However, it is more scalable and cost-effective than renting a full dedicated server.

VPS hosting is generally chosen by website owners with medium-level traffic that exceeds the limits of shared hosting plans but who do not yet need the resources of a dedicated server.

Virtual private server solutions usually offer multiple hosting plans. For example, at HolyHosting, we offer VPS plans tailored to different business needs, allowing you to scale your site seamlessly whenever more resources are needed.

What is a VPS?

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a hosting service that uses virtualization technology to give you dedicated resources on a server shared with multiple users.

How VPS Hosting Works

A server is a computer where your web hosting provider stores the files and databases needed for your website. When an online visitor wants to access your site, their browser sends a request to your server, which delivers the necessary files over the internet. VPS hosting provides a virtual server that simulates a physical server, though in reality, the machine is shared among multiple users.

Using virtualization technology, such as a hypervisor, your hosting provider installs a virtual layer over the server’s operating system (OS). This layer divides the server into partitions and allows each user to install their own OS and software.

A VPS is virtual and private because you have full control. It’s isolated from other server users at the OS level. In fact, VPS technology is similar to creating partitions on your own computer when you want to run multiple OSs (e.g., Windows and Linux) without rebooting.

Running a VPS allows you to configure your website in a secure container with guaranteed resources (RAM, disk space, CPU cores, etc.) that you don’t have to share with other users. With VPS hosting, you get root-level access just like with a dedicated server but at a much lower cost.

Comparing VPS with Other Types of Web Hosting

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is the solution for websites with lower traffic. It’s the starting point for most small businesses and bloggers. Even with the best shared hosting plan, you share the same physical server with multiple other clients of the hosting company. You don’t get dedicated resources, as your site runs on the same OS as everyone else’s.

Thus, the memory and computing power your site can use are affected by the needs of other users on the server. For example, a sudden spike in traffic on another site on the same server can slow down your page loading times. You also cannot choose your OS or other server software, since all users share the same configuration. Essentially, your hosting provider manages every aspect of your shared hosting environment.

Think of shared hosting like renting an apartment with multiple roommates. VPS hosting is like a shared building, but each user has their own private apartment that they can customize, including paint, furniture, and décor.

Cloud Hosting

With cloud hosting, you don’t rely on a single server but a network of servers running in the cloud. Each server stores an updated copy of your website. When one server is overloaded, traffic is automatically redirected to a less busy server. This setup ensures almost no downtime since there is always a server available to handle requests.

WordPress Hosting

WordPress hosting is specifically tailored for WordPress sites. It includes features such as one-click installation, preinstalled plugins, or a WP command-line interface. Servers are configured with WordPress in mind. While you can run WordPress on a VPS, you won’t have access to WordPress-optimized custom server setups. If you choose VPS, you can fully configure the hosting environment to suit your business needs.

Dedicated Hosting

With dedicated hosting, you rent an entire physical server for your business. If you run a high-traffic website, dedicated hosting might be ideal because dedicated servers are fast, flexible, and fully customizable. However, this service is more expensive and may not be practical for small or medium-sized sites.

While VPS lets you configure the OS and server applications, dedicated hosting goes further, allowing you to control both software and hardware. You can also run a dedicated server on-premises, though you lose the professional hosting team support.

Pros and Cons of a VPS

Pros:

• Faster and more reliable than shared hosting.

• Guaranteed server resources (RAM, CPU, etc.) minimize fluctuations.

• Traffic spikes from other users don’t affect your site.

• Root (superuser) access.

• Better privacy; your files and databases are isolated.

• Easy to scale resources as your website grows.

Cons:

• More expensive than shared hosting.

• Requires more technical knowledge to configure, though tutorials are available.

• Server management is more demanding than shared or cloud hosting.

• Misconfigured servers can pose security risks.

  
  

When to Use VPS and How to Decide It’s Time to Upgrade

VPS hosting is often the next step after your website outgrows shared hosting limits. If the most advanced shared hosting plan isn’t sufficient, upgrading to VPS is worthwhile. VPS offers the best of both worlds: shared hosting simplicity with dedicated hosting power.

VPS is also ideal for e-commerce websites that need secure, fast, and stable payment environments. If you handle sensitive data or process online payments, VPS reduces the risk of security breaches and identity theft.

High-traffic events, ticketing websites, or resource-heavy gaming servers (e.g., Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft) perform much better on a VPS.

Alternatives to VPS: What is Managed VPS?

A major drawback of VPS hosting is managing the server environment yourself. Misconfigured VPS servers can lead to serious security risks and performance loss.

Managed VPS services solve this problem by providing full technical support, essentially an upgraded VPS experience.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has been helpful! 🚀 Remember, don’t hesitate to ask questions on the HolyHosting Discord or contact our support team.

Follow us on Twitter @HolyHosting to stay up to date.

Stuffy @ HolyHosting