Managing a rapidly growing website can be an uphill task which often needs great dedication and ample resources. You need to prepare a well-calculated plan for future endeavors, keeping in mind all the needs and goals for your online business. Selecting a web hosting plan can be confusing as there are a variety of options available in the market, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
For most of the small and medium enterprises, Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting proves to be the ideal web hosting solution as it offers the benefits of both Shared Hosting and Dedicated Hosting.
As far as the cost is concerned, a VPS Hosting plan is more affordable than a Dedicated Hosting.
How does VPS Work?
A VPS is a physical machine which is divided into a group of virtual compartments. To make them function independently, a server software is setup on them. In this way, although the users share the same physical system, they get their own virtual environment with a freedom to perform tasks without getting affected by other virtual machines operating on the same server.
You are also allotted independent server resources such as CPU, disk space and RAM which ensure better performance of your website. Although you get complete root access to your server just as in the case of Dedicated Hosting, you are still connected to the same physical server with other VPS users. In simple words, with a VPS plan, you get a virtual Dedicated Hosting for a much lower price and get higher performance as compared to Shared Hosting.
When is the right time to switch?
Most beginners launch their websites using a Shared Hosting plan. It is quite a good option considering it is affordable and easy. However, it is not enough to maintain growth. If you too are facing issues which are listed below, it may be time to switch to VPS:
- Heavy Traffic
If there is a high amount of traffic on your website and you receive a notification from your Shared Hosting provider indicating excessive use of resources, it’s a good indicator that your business needs an upgraded web hosting.
- Reliability and Security
When you have a recurring need for dedicated resources to get your website to operate reliably, turning to VPS plans can be beneficial as it gives you resources which are not shared by any other VPS user. A VPS plan also caters to your security concerns and lets you implement enhanced security features, advanced monitoring capabilities, and better backups.
- Server Root Access
You want to perform advanced functions such as installing custom software or a custom server configuration, and hence, need control over the functions on your web host. To surpass this limitation of your Shared Hosting, you need to switch to VPS Hosting as it gives you complete root access enabling you to run various applications and managing your services without affecting other servers.
How to choose the right VPS Plan?
- Windows vs. Linux
One of the first things you need to decide on is the operating system for your VPS. Know whether you want a Windows or a Linux environment. This depends on the kind of web applications you will run on your website, i.e.
– If your website/application runs on ASP or ASP.net, select a Windows environment.
– Alternatively, if your web application run on PHP, PERL, Python, Ruby, etc. Linux is your preferred option.
- Managed vs. Unmanaged
Unlike Shared Hosting, you have access to the whole virtual server in VPS plan. This means you have to make a choice between self-managed (Unmanaged) or virtual host managed VPS (Managed Hosting).
If you are comfortable managing the server on your own, unmanaged hosting is the way to go, otherwise, pay a little more and work with a Managed VPS.
- Scalability
The biggest advantage of a VPS plan is that it offers great flexibility to expand your business. You can scale your hosting resources and handle sudden loads on the server, at short notice.
For instance, if there is a sudden increase in traffic, you can easily upgrade your plan to increase RAM & bandwidth and minimize chances of downtime, thus saving your site from loss of traffic. Therefore, keep in mind the resources that your web hosting plan offers to increase scalability.
- Price
Another significant factor that can affect your decision is the cost of the plan. Depending on the variability and nature of the hosting environment, you can see a considerable difference in the prices of VPS hosting. The price depends on the customization options, hardware specifications, and service level as well. So, before purchasing VPS hosting, compare plenty of plans to understand which one is a value-for-money investment for your business.
- Cloud-based vs. Conventional
It again depends on whether you wish to opt for cloud-based VPS Hosting or Conventional VPS hosting. It’s important to understand that while cloud-based VPS and conventional VPS draw resources from a single source, the cloud overcomes various limitations of the conventional VPS. With a cloud-based VPS hosting you get more flexibility and reliability in storage and other server resources.
- Server Specifications and Configurations
It’s important to be aware of configurations and specifications of your server before selecting one. Understanding the processor capacity, size of RAM and disk space. Quality and reputation of the brand also matter for they give you an assurance of delivering a standard service level.
Also, consider things such as data transfer limitations, right distribution of the Operating System, backup, the number of IP addresses, and CPU core to make a wise selection.
- Customer Support
Irrespective of the great features and efficiency of your VPS plan, at times, problems can arise from nowhere. In such a situation, you need an effective customer support that can solve your problems. Therefore, check the customer support team of your VPS Hosting provider whether they are available 24/7 and offer timely and useful assistance.
Once you decide that you have to upgrade your Shared Hosting to a VPS Hosting, keep these factors in mind and make the best decision. If you select the best VPS solution, there are high chances that your website can reach maximum profits.