What is VPS hosting and is it right for me?
Since launching our Virtual Private Server (VPS) Cloud platform (link opens in a new window) we found that this upgrade is seen as an extension of our shared hosting platform. This however is not the case.
A VPS is very different from the shared hosting platform you may already be used to using in several key areas.
How does a VPS differ from a cPanel hosting account or a WHM reseller account?
cPanel/WHM hosting:
Running your email and website from a cPanel hosting account on one of our business, unlimited, or premium servers might be thought of like hiring a car:
- It has a clearly defined set of performance parameters.
- It has a built-in security system.
- It is serviced and maintained by the hire company.
- If a wheel falls off and you crash, the hire company will send the recovery truck.
- The hire company stops it smelling of spam! (I may have run out of analogies)
All you need to do is put fuel in and drive! That is to say, all you need to do is upload your website files and database, set up your mailboxes and away you go (more or less).
This covers most (but certainly not all) of the things we look after for you when you purchase a cPanel account – from our entry-level cloud hosting (link opens in a new window) to our most powerful Tanzanite business package (link opens in a new window).
VPS:
Considering a VPS using the same car analogy, is a bit like buying a kit car. You get the bare essentials, but you have to build it to your specification. You have to consider things like:
- What operating system to run
- What control panel software to install if any
- What performance enhancements to install
- What services to run (i.e. apache, exim, nginx, mysql, DNS)
- What local firewall rules to implement
- What spam filtering software to use if any
- What web application firewall to use
- What backup strategy to employ, and which backup repository
- What malware scanning software to use
- How to install, configure and maintain all of the above
Upgrading your web hosting account to a VPS, therefore, is like hiring a Ford Focus for a while, deciding you want something faster, and deciding to design and build a Ferrari from scratch. It is a lot of extra work that you or a paid professional will need to do.
Why would I want a VPS over a shared hosting option?
Just like a kit car, the real advantage of a VPS isn’t necessarily its power, but the flexibility to customise it to your requirements. In the hands of an expert, a VPS will almost always outperform a shared hosting account.
If you are keen to learn or have a technical expert on hand, then running a VPS can be a very rewarding experience.
As standard our Cloud VPS are sold unmanaged - we will help with issues related to the performance, stability and security of our Cloud VPS platform.
We also offer a VPS management package, where we monitor your VPS and perform system updates. We will also do our best to help with any other issues you may have - which may mean pointing you at a knowledge base article or recommending you seek the help of a developer.
Are we trying to put you off of buying VPS hosting?
No!
We are ensuring that you know what you are signing up for before choosing a VPS package as doing so without having all of the information only leads to frustration and problems. Choosing to use a VPS rather than shared hosting requires a paradigm shift in the way you think about hosting.
If you are essentially just looking for more power and capacity, without having to expose yourself to the nitty-gritty of server management then you should probably consider upgrading to one of our Business Hosting plans.
If your requirements are to host one or two essentially mainstream (e.g. WordPress or typical e-commerce) sites then it makes a great deal more sense to simply spend a little more money on a more powerful shared hosting account.
For example, our Business Hosting cPanel plans have only marginally fewer resources allocated to them than a VPS of the same value. Once our behind-the-scenes work is factored into the premium cPanel accounts, they present better value for money for most business users.
