People who start online with a small website or two typically go with a shared server hosting plan, as it is the most affordable option. When a hobby or personal web site suddenly becomes popular and traffic to it grows, it is more difficult to insure that the website will be kept available on a shared hosting account. This is especially critical if you are earning money from it and rely on the server to be kept running smoothly. This generally means that a step up to a more powerful hosting solution would need to be made in order to have greater control.

In the past, this meant making the leap to a dedicated web server, which can be very costly. This is where virtual private server (VPS) hosting may be considered as an alternative. Also referred to as a virtual dedicated server (VDS) hosting, it is a step-up from shared hosting with a lot of added benefits that historically you could only get with a fully dedicated server. Basically, it creates several ‘slices’ or virtual instances of server software on one physical server. Customers get the advantage of having their own operating system and server environment that they can fully control without the cost overhead of a fully dedicated server.

Changes in the VPS Hosting Market
As with most things on the Internet, the VPS server market is evolving quickly. From pricing to features offered, VPS hosting is changing all of the time. This is good news for people who are looking to make the switch to a VPS hosting package. With change comes better opportunities and, sometimes, lower pricing. It’s still wise to shop around to get the best prices, but here’s a look at some of the overall advantages and disadvantages of moving to a VPS hosting solution.

Advantages

Intermediary step
One of the advantages of VPS hosting is that it offers an intermediary step between the lower tier (shared web hosting) and the upper tier (dedicated server hosting or colocation hosting.) Being in the middle tier of web hosting has other advantages as well.

Independence
Unlike shared hosting, VPS packages allow clients to customize their virtual ‘slice’ of the web server. Whether that means installing a newer version of PHP, MySQL or Apache or installing other programs on the server, one of the advantages of VPS hosting is the ability to customize the web server to a customer’s needs. This is one of the biggest advantages of VPS hosting.

Separate OS
While this might not mean a lot to some people, it’s a pretty big deal to be able to reboot a server without affecting other websites hosted on the same machine. Because VPS hosting runs a slice of server with its own operating system, it’s possible to reboot just your web server if you need to – something that isn’t possible with a shared hosting web account.

Security
By running as a virtual piece of a server in its own instance, VPS hosting offers a higher level of security for websites and data. Site owners will have to make sure they keep up with updates to software (if they don’t go with managed web hosting), but they won’t have to worry about the actions of other people on the server, as they would with shared web hosting (where hundreds or even thousands of websites can be hosted on a single machine).

Root Access
Sometimes, especially when installing custom software onto a VPS, root level access is needed to the server. This isn’t a possibility for many reasons with shared web hosting. On a VPS, though, root level access is usually given. This is one of the big benefits for a lot of people who like to customize their server for whatever reason or need root access to do other things.

Disadvantages

Hardware
While VPS hosting customers have more resources to work with, VPS hosting is also limited by hardware. It takes longer to ‘hit the ceiling’ with a VPS hosting solution, but it can happen if a website becomes really successful very quickly. While companies can usually add RAM or more storage space to their VPS hosting account, there is a limit to how big you can make one slice of a server before it makes more sense to move to a full on dedicated server solution.

Responsibility
With all of the extra power and features that come with a VPS hosting package, there also comes a great deal of responsibility. Customers new to VPS hosting may want to spend the extra money to go with managed VPS hosting so that they do not have to worry about updating software and keeping a web server running in peak condition. If a company is trying to work with limited manpower, the extra work needed to keep the server safe and running can be a disadvantage. It is good to keep in mind that managed VPS hosting is also always an option to consider.

Price
There’s no doubt about it, going from $5/month to even $30/month for hosting can be quite a leap. While not as bad as advancing to a full dedicated server solution (or a managed dedicated server solution), bumping up to VPS hosting can increase expenses. It’s worth it if the websites hosted on the VPS are successful and bring revenue in, but an increase in price is definitely a disadvantage.

Crowding
While not typically as big a problem as found with shared web hosting, over-crowding can and does happen on VPS hosts sometimes. Companies should make sure that they’re getting all the resources they were promised when they signed up for a VPS hosting account.

Root Access / Security
Having access to a root account on a server can also be a disadvantage if a company doesn’t know what they’re doing and plays around with settings. The ability to type in the wrong command and mess things up in a big way is a possibility with root access on a web server. As long as a company is careful with who has access to the server, this isn’t a disadvantage that can’t be countered. Making sure there is a solid , dynamic security procedure in place, especially for root login info, is a necessity.

Typical VPS Prices

There are three typical tiers to VPS hosting, giving companies a lot of options instead of full dedicated hosting when making the jump from a shared hosting experience. For successful websites that are experiencing growth, this guide to prices and what to expect can be helpful in making a tough decision a little easier.
Low Tier: $29/Month to $40/Month

At this level of VPS hosting, expect just the basics. This isn’t bad if you have experience with running a Windows or Linux server, but if you’re just moving up from shared hosting, VPS at this level could be a little overwhelming and have a steep learning curve. For those that are more experienced and don’t need hand holding or frills, this is the best way to get VPS hosting.

Middle Tier: $50/Month to $100/Month
At this level, expect good service and some extra features. These prices don’t usually include managed VPS hosting. This is still a small step up from the previous tier, for those who want or need a little help with making the switch from shared hosting to VPS hosting. The service at this level of VPS hosting is really top notch.

High Tier: $100/Month to $200/Month
At this level, expect a lot more service. Managed VPS web hosting plans generally ensure that someone who knows what they’re doing gets the web server working to the best of its ability. Beyond that, this level of VPS hosting usually has increased RAM, storage space, and bandwidth.

Major Market Leaders

Low Tier
GoDaddy – Known world round for their television commercials, GoDaddy started out being well known for domain names. Over the years, they quickly grew to one of the largest web hosting companies around. Because of their volume, they’re able to offer VPS hosting at low tier rates (typically $30/month to $70/month). This makes them a market leader when it comes to VPS hosting (as well as domain names and shared web hosting).

Middle Tier
1&1 – 1&1 hosting has been around for a while and offers great VPS hosting packages for businesses of all sizes – from small to large. Prices can be a little higher here, but the extras received generally make the extra money spent worth it. For companies that want to go with someone who has been around a while and offers good service, 1&1 VPS hosting should be considered.

High Tier
Media Temple – This web hosting company is a little expensive when compared to others, but they offer a lot of great things, including superb customer service by a knowledgeable and friendly staff. Above that, they offered a tiered VPS hosting experience that lets companies expand their capabilities as their web traffic increases. They also offer great managed VPS packages that can make sure the web server is fine tuned and constantly updated with security patches and other updates as needed.

Typical VPS Customers

The typical VPS customer has a small to medium business or website that is growing in all of the right directions. As a result, they find that their needs for web hosting are changing.

The following situations could be ideal for considering VPS hosting:

• Growth – Companies that experience big growth in traffic online.
• Complexity – Companies who want to deploy a complex web application.
• Control – Companies wanting more control over online servers.
• Responsibility – Companies willing and able to take on the extra responsibilities of running a VPS may be ready to make the leap.

The Future of VPS Hosting

While there are indications of where things are going, no guarantees exist about the future of VPS hosting on the web. Whatever happens, it’s very likely that this level of web hosting is will remain available. It might offer more or less than current packages, but a step between shared web hosting and full on dedicated web hosting is always likely to exist.

Then again, ten years from now, everyone could be hosted on one giant cloud network of computers, paying their small percentage of the costs to keep the cloud or grid running. That’s one of the exciting things about the web hosting industry – the continual advancements made by technology. There are a lot of things to consider when making the choice to move to a VPS server (or purchase a second or third server), but companies that take their time and do the research will be able to make sure they get the best VPS hosting deal available for their purposes.

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