VPS: still worth considering?

We’ve read articles about the advantages of a dedicated server over a shared hosting package. For those in business, the UK dedicated server option makes sense with far better security, control and flexibility over your online business. But what is a VPS and how does one compare to a dedicated server?

VPS

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. It refers to the segregation of the main physical server into smaller individual virtual cloud servers. Each VPS gets a share of the hardware resources available on the main server so they are flexible in terms of hardware requirements.

The separate virtual servers function individually with their own operating systems. They are capable of performing multiple independent tasks utilising the hardware resources allocated to them. Essentially a VPS is a hybrid of shared hosting and a dedicated server.

Advantages of VPS

There are a number of advantages to VPS hosting, the first being cost. Because you are not renting the entire server, the hosting package price will be lower as you are only using a segment of it. The segment you do have is highly customisable: you can decide how much processing power, memory and storage space you need. VPS hosting is also easily scalable so you can increase the hardware capacity or decrease it as your needs change. You will have a lot more control over your server than with shared hosting, and most companies offer semi-managed and fully managed packages where they handle the upgrades and configuration for you.

Disadvantages of VPS

There are, of course, disadvantages to VPS hosting, a major one being the allocation of services. Your server is still essentially shared, as while the hardware is divided, server services and resources are shared with other users of the same machine. If another VPS is running at peak performance it will slow yours down. Many hosting companies over-sell the resources, as they bank on them not all being in use at the same time. Security could also be an issue if other users are running vulnerable software.

This is where the advantage of a fully dedicated server comes into play, ultimately still making it the best option when it comes to servers. You can control security and have full access to all of the hardware, services and resources on the server. Get in touch with Clouvider today to find out more about why a dedicated server is an ideal choice for your business.