The Pros & Cons of Using VPS Web Hosting

Since Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is relatively new, it tends to cause some confusion amongst people who are searching for a server to run their websites. It is beginning to gain popularity, but is still a grey area for a lot of people who are not technologically savvy. Exactly what is VPS hosting, and what are its pros and cons? How do you know if it will suit your needs?

What is VPS hosting, exactly?

VPS hosting is essentially a mix of shared and dedicated hosting. While you still share a server with other people, you also have a specified portion of the server’s resources dedicated to your needs. The rest of the server is shared according to site needs, but your portion is yours, and only yours. Since it is essentially a small dedicated server, a VPS may be useful for websites which have outgrown shared servers, but which don’t warrant their own dedicated server.

Pros:

There are a number of benefits to upgrading to VPS hosting rather than dedicated hosting. These include:

• VPS hosting is cheaper than dedicated hosting, and can therefore save you valuable business funds that you can’t afford to waste.
• A VPS allows more customisability and control than a shared server does. You can usually use scripts and software which isn’t otherwise allowed.
• You usually still have the same technical support as you would with shared hosting packages.
• VPS plans are usually customisable so that you only pay for what you need.
• Different VPS servers offer either part managed or fully managed maintenance services.
• As your business and site traffic grows, you should be able to scale your VPS hosting accordingly.

Cons:

Although it sounds great, there can be some negative aspects of VPS hosting. These include:

• Financially, VPS hosting is more expensive than shared hosting. Although it does offer more flexibility, if you don’t need it, then don’t use it.
• Sometimes, web hosts don’t share the server resources appropriately, which may cause problems if your website begins to use its memory or CPU time at peak levels.

Final Word:

If you have outgrown a shared server, but can’t afford a dedicated server, then VPS hosting can be a good option. As long as you choose a good plan from a host that is honest and runs the server properly, you shouldn’t encounter too many server issues (unless you begin to exceed the capabilities of the server!).