subject: Making Sure Your Vps Has A Hypervisor [print this page] Many customers, when they sign up for a VPS, think that theyre signing up for the same thing. They expect to get a web server thats been virtually separated using a hypervisor to separate each website on that server from any other site on the same server. Imagine then, how surprised some customers are to later find out that the VPS they signed up for isnt what they thought at all.
When a hypervisor separates the sites from each other, its this process that allows each site to have their own operating system, their own software, and their own resources. This is a true virtual private server and if VPS is what youre looking for, its the only kind you should consider. There are unfortunately though, some web hosts that try to get away with offering OS virtualization in place of true VPS.
OS virtualization still used a web server, and it still divides that web server up into several different compartments so that websites can run independently from each other. However, the biggest difference is that with OS virtualization, all of those compartments or websites must still run off the same operating system. And in fact, its not just the operating system that needs to remain constant for all sites. The hardware, drivers, kernels, and more must all be the same and must be used by every website that sits on that virtual server.
So how is OS virtualization any different than using a shared server? It is very similar, but there are a few differences. The biggest one is that even with OS virtualization, youll still get all the storage space and be able to use all the bandwidth that you require. However, youll be limited to a specific operating system and certain software.
Because unlimited resources will still be available, OS virtualization can be useful for companies that have offline data that an entire network needs to be able to access. And often, this is where things get confused when a customer is looking for VPS for their companys website.
True virtual privatization though, or true VPS, will allow you to run whatever operating system, software, drivers, or anything else you want to run your website. This is true VPS and its what just about everyone thinks theyre signing up for when looking for a virtual server for their site.
VPS will always have a hypervisor installed; whereas OS virtualization doesnt have the need for it. In order to make sure that youre getting what you pay for, and that you get what you wanted, ask any VPS web host if they use a hypervisor on their servers. Unfortunately, too many business owners have found out too late that their web host didnt; and they therefore didnt have the right kind of web hosting for their website.
