subject: Vps Hosting - Shared Servers, Dedicated Servers Or Virtual Servers? [print this page] Before deciding whether a dedicated server, shared server, or virtual private server is right for you, it is important to understand what each of them does. With a dedicated server, you get a network connection and entire server to yourself. Well-established websites with high traffic are usually best suited for a dedicated server. These servers require a higher level of technical skills than shared servers and VPS hosting. They also tend to cost more to run. The great thing about dedicated servers is that it is your own space and you have more options to do as you need to with your business page.
With shared servers, you are limited. Shared servers are multiple sites running on one server. This means that all of these sites have access to the same number of shared resources. This is fine for those that do not require much, but problems can arise because you can only use what is available. Shared servers do not require much technical knowledge and are most definitely the cheaper way to go, but the response times of the server depends on what is going on with the other sites that are on the same server. Your access to the operating system is also more limited than it would be with VPS hosting.
Virtual private servers are an intermediate solution for those ready to upgrade from a shared server but not quite in need of a dedicated server. VPS hosting is still multiple sites running on one server, but it is partitioned giving each site individual space. This gives them a certain amount of freedom they would have if they had a dedicated server. Limits are placed for each individual page but they are given the ability to operate on an independent level. VPS's are a way to grow progressively.
Virtual private servers do not have the same capacity as a dedicated server, but they offer some of the same benefits that cannot be offered with a shared server. So which is right for you? If you are just starting out, a shared server can provide the tools you need with limits. If your business is growing but not enough for a dedicated server, than a virtual private server is an ideal choice. When choosing VPS hosting, be sure to make a checklist of things to look for and make sure they provide that. Research the background of the company and read reviews.
