Do I Need VPS Hosting or Dedicated Hosting?
Newcomers to website hosting may be overwhelmed by the variety available. Virtual private server (VPS) hosting and dedicated hosting provide the same basic functions, but they have key differences.
How might those differences affect you and your website? What kind of value will you get for your money? Which is best for your needs? Figuring out the answers to these questions isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
VPS Hosting
A VPS creates a virtual machine within your host server. This virtual machine is called a container, and is housed on a physical server with other containers. With VPS, you’ll be sharing a central processing unit (CPU) with some other sites, but your random access memory (RAM) and disk space are your own.
A VPS is an excellent choice if you’ve outgrown shared hosting, but don’t have the budget for a dedicated server. Unless they have a very high-traffic site, most people trying to decide between VPS or dedicated hosting will likely find what they need with VPS.
Limitations to VPS hosting include:
- Resource hogging may result in penalties and downtime
- Limited choice in what software you can install
- Potential server overload (too many VPS containers per server)
- Dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) addresses may not be included with your plan
Dedicated Hosting
Generally, this is the choice for high-traffic websites with large budgets. Dedicated hosting, also referred to as a dedicated server, means you lease a physical server.
You don’t share resources like RAM, a CPU, or disk space with anyone else.
You control what software you install and run, including the operating system (OS). Rebooting and backups are your responsibility, too. You can expect predictable, reliable site performance from a dedicated server.
Limitations and barriers to dedicated hosting include:
- Running a server on your own can require technical skills unless you choose a managed hosting option
- Higher monthly cost than other hosting options
- Possible overage fees
- Limited to no scalability
- Unreliable hosts can directly cause downtime for your site
Condo vs. House
A helpful way to think about the differences between these hosting options is to think of them in terms of dwelling types.
VPS hosting is like living in a condo. You’re in a building with other condos, but you have your own space. While you do share certain resources, a portion of them are guaranteed to be available only to you.
When you have a dedicated server, it’s like owning your own house. No one else lives in your house, and all of the amenities and resources are there for you alone to use.
A Note About Clouds
Cloud VPS hosting is a relatively new type of hosting. Resources are instantly scalable. Billing is usually based solely on usage, so you don’t pay for any resources you don’t use. Typically all the resources are shared.
You won’t have much direct access to the host server(s), but you’re in full control of scaling. This is an excellent option for sites that can expect occasional traffic spikes, such as those that stream media, but don’t want to overpay for resources.
Take a quick look at how traditional dedicated servers stack up against virtualized cloud-based setups:.
Features
Features vary widely between providers and available service plans. As hosting solutions grow and change, you may see overlap in capability and feature sets.
Low-cost dedicated servers and high-end VPS plans may offer nearly the same features. In those instances, hardware, resource availability, and cost will most likely be the determining factors.
- Management: Both dedicated hosting and VPS hosting are available unmanaged or managed. For VPS hosting, management usually includes a premium control panel and increased tech support availability. For dedicated servers, every aspect of the server hardware and software is monitored and managed by your provider.
- Support: Tech support can be a simple ticketing system or exceptional, live support at all hours of the day. With high-end dedicated server plans, you may even get live technical support for installing third-party software applications. Advanced support may carry an extra fee.
- Resources: Dedicated servers ensure you don’t share any resources with anyone else. You get the full memory, storage, power, and network access possible from your hardware. This is most important if you have a resource-hungry site with a lot of traffic. VPS resource sharing may lead to site downtime or other issues if demand exceeds capacity.
- Cost: Both types are available to fit a pretty wide range of budgets. The tradeoff for having full control and total resource allocation with a dedicated server is the price: it can cost a few hundred dollars per month, whereas prices for VPS plans can be as low as those for shared hosting plans. The level of management and support you can expect with a hosting plan is generally reflected in what you pay.
- Physical Security: The physical security of your servers—whichever type of hosting you choose—is important. You must consider the protections in place for your server. Climate control, redundant power, video surveillance, and guards are some of the most common safety measures in data center facilities.
- Data and Server Security Most hosting providers include security basics such as a firewall, anti-virus protection, and anti-malware tools. Some providers may also offer what is known as managed security, which includes real-time monitoring of traffic and files in order to head off potential intrusions and protect file integrity.
- Data Center Tiers: A data center is the building where your server is housed. It may be owned and operated by your hosting provider, or the provider may lease space inside a privately-owned data center. The Uptime Institute developed four tiers which describe the infrastructure of a data center. Tier 4 is the highest rating. It includes advanced climate controls, disaster preparedness, and redundant systems, and offers the highest guaranteed uptime.
Which is Best?
The answer, of course, really depends on your hosting needs. VPS is a great option for powerful websites that must be run on a budget. Medium-sized businesses, popular blogs, and e-commerce sites can all be successfully hosted on VPS without any sticker shock.
If you need higher levels of support or management, it’s not tough to find a VPS provider with those options. If you require top-notch performance with consistent access to resources, then a dedicated server is the right choice for you.
When factoring price into your decision, it’s always a good idea to find out exactly what you’re getting for your money. What seems like a bargain may prove to be just the opposite if you exceed your account limits, or, conversely, pay for resources you’re unlikely to use.