A Complete Guide to Choosing a VPS or Dedicated Server

When opening a website or ecommerce platform, you consider having a physical server or purchasing a virtual one over the internet. The server may be dedicated or shared among several users. There are several things that should come to mind so that you pick a server and host that best deals with your needs while keeping within your budget. This whitepaper looks at some of the major considerations and decisions to be made when choosing a server and a host for your next internet resource.

Types of Web Hosting

There are different types of hosting depending on your needs. Here are the popular ones.

Shared Hosting

Here, different companies will be sharing resources with other sites on a single server. It makes the cost of hosting lower, especially where it does not need dedicated resources to complete specific tasks, such as gaming or enabling purchases on the site.

VPS Hosting

VPS stands for virtual private server. This is an upgrade from shared hosting. Here, the company will be sharing with other websites, but the number of them will be significantly lower. A single server is split into several virtual machines and each is customised by the individual website.

Dedicated Hosting

As the name suggests, dedicated hosting provides you with a server that only belongs to your website. You enjoy using all the available resources, enjoy high uptime and speeds that are not available with shared options.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is the hybrid version of the virtual private server. Here, the business has several remote servers, each with a responsibility. If one of them is compromised, the rest come up and ensure that the website is running.

Colocation Hosting

Colocation hosting is similar to using dedicated hosting. However, the company rents out space at a data centre where they keep their equipment. The data centre provides security, power, internet and climate control, which lowers the cost of managing a dedicated server.

What Elements Will You Need on A Virtual Private Server /Dedicated Host?

Here are some things to keep in mind when picking a virtual private or dedicated hosting for your website.

1. Scalability

You should have growth in mind when building your business. The website should grow with the business, and you should be able to get additional resources when you need them in the future. Otherwise, you will be required to get a new solution when the business grows. A virtual private server hosting plan allows you to scale up with ease for resources such as RAM, CPU and storage space. On the other hand, it is not very easy to scale up on a dedicated hosting as you have all the available resources with you. You will have to buy additional hardware to scale up.

2. Cost

What is your budget for hosting? The total cost encompasses the initial cost of hosting, the monthly maintenance fee, the cost of other expenses and upgrades to the server. Do not just go for the cheapest. Instead, balance your needs with the cost of buying the same. Virtual private server hosting provides an economical option for your business as you pay for what you use. However, a dedicated server provides freedom, performance and flexibility at a high cost.

3. Security

At this age, security is of the utmost importance to your business. You need to ensure that your company and customer data is safe from access by unauthorised parties. Dedicated hosting offers you the most security compared to shared options. However, you still need to check individual providers' security features. Dedicated server hosting provides the highest security as the server is not shared like in the case of VPS. However, the virtual private server is more secure than a shared hosting plan as each website is hosted in its own space. Learn more about how LuxHosting secures its servers in this blog.

4. Expertise

You need to have dedicated support behind your website to help ensure optimal performance and solve issues as soon as they occur. Pick a plan that provides technical support around the clock or dedicated assistance if you are running an ecommerce platform. Most virtual private server plans have dedicated teams to offer technical support on matters of hosting. This is also available on dedicated servers, as most companies provide all their resources.

5. Performance

Performance is dependent on the number of visitors and transactions that will be carried out on the platform. If you expect about 1,000 visitors each month, you should have enough resources to handle this number. Besides, platforms that process lots of transactions need more bandwidth and faster load times than conventional ones. Look for other features such as uptime and redundancy for your host. Dedicated hosting provides the highest performance as it has all the resources at your disposal. However, the VPS offers better performance than a shared hosting plan.

Who Is a Virtual Private Server Ideal For?

VPS hosting is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that need their websites to run without unexpected downtime. It is an upgrade from a shared hosting plan for website owners that have outgrown it. The plan is also good for website owners who want to do some form of customisation on their websites too. It can work with gaming sites, web hosting, streaming and trading as it provides high availability and dedicated resources.

Who Is a Dedicated Server Ideal For?

Dedicated hosting plans are meant for enterprise-level websites. It is ideal for any site getting more than 100,000 monthly visits and lots of transactions. The plan provides the utmost freedom and higher levels of security than they would need for their sites.

Differences between virtual private server & Dedicated Hosting

A VPS is a virtual machine on a physical server, while a dedicated server is a physical one without the virtualisation. With virtual private server, you only pay for what you need. You can add more resources in the future if there is a need. On the other hand, dedicated hosting provides all the resources available on the hardware for a website. It offers ultimate freedom for the website owner to make the website as they see fit.

Comparison Table

Why Luxhosting has the Best Virtual Private Server or Dedicated Hosting?

LuxHosting is a leading provider of web hosting, domain registration and website services for individuals, small businesses and large corporations. All of our web hosting packages provide the essentials to get you online as quickly and effectively as possible. Clients often have access to a number of discounts. Luxhosting has a solid reputation in the market and offers a variety of payment options. So far, they have made the best investments in security and monitoring services that secure and add value to websites. Some of the services they provide include the following: • Domain Hosting • Email Hosting • A professional website builder • Certificates for SSL • Cloud Backup

How Do I Choose the Best Server Provider?

Here are a few things to check when choosing a dedicated or virtual private server provider: • Web server speed • The server's uptime and reliability • Whether offering managed or unmanaged hosting • Security features that come with the hosting service • The level of customer support

Conclusion

Your choice of a VPS or dedicated hosting is informed by your needs, the level of customisation you want to undertake on the website and the cost, among other factors. The virtual private server is a great starting point for small and medium-sized organizations. However, for large enterprises that receive over 60,000 visitors, a dedicated server is the ideal solution.