Is There a More Affordable Alternative to a Dedicated Server?

August 7, 2019 / Web Hosting

dedicated server - WHUK

Every successful business gets to the stage when their shared hosting package starts to hold them back. Shared hosting is great for data-light websites with small volumes of traffic but once the site grows and starts to attract bigger audiences, it can struggle to cope. Until recently, the obvious step forward was a dedicated server – a big jump in terms of hosting capacity but also in expense. Now, however, there is VPS, a more affordable option that sits perfectly between shared hosting and the dedicated server.

An overview of VPS

VPS stands for virtual private server; essentially, it is a mini dedicated server. These are created by taking a powerful physical server and using it to create a small number of virtual ones. From a financial perspective, it’s similar to shared hosting because you only lease part of the physical machine. This is what makes it highly affordable in comparison to leasing a full dedicated server. That, however, is where the similarities with shared hosting end. Everything else about VPS hosting is far superior. Here are the benefits of using them.

  1. An affordable alternative
    Dedicated servers offer large scale computing resources for businesses, however, for many companies, these can be too big. It would be like taking your family camping in a circus tent. You may be paying for storage and resources that you just won’t need in the next stage of your company’s growth.
    VPS offer significantly more resources than shared hosting but less than a dedicated server and this is reflected in the pricing. Here at WHUK, VPS hosting packages range from £12.99 to £33.99 per month (excl. VAT) while dedicated servers range from £69.99 to £539.99 per month (excl. VAT). That’s a significant difference.
  2. Different configuration to shared hosting
    One of the benefits of VPS is that, unlike shared hosting, each user account is completely independent of the others on the physical server. Every VPS has its own operating system and this is what makes it akin to a dedicated server. The VPS’ performance isn’t affected by other VPS on the physical server and, being independent, security is far stronger.
  3. Complete control
    Just as you would with a dedicated server, you have complete control of your VPS. Its independence from other VPS means you have the freedom to run any apps that are compatible with your choice of operating system. Unlike with shared hosting, you can also configure your VPS so that it is optimised for your business’ needs.
  4. Guaranteed to stay online
    In some respects, VPS can have advantages over physical dedicated servers. Being virtual means there are no physical components that can break down. If there is an issue with the physical server on which the VPS is hosted, rather than taking your website offline until the server is fixed, the VPS can be instantly rebooted on another physical server. This means you can be confident that your website and applications are always online.
  5. Dedicated resource allocation
    On a shared server, you share the resources with other users – which can be an issue if one of them is running resource-hungry applications that impact the performance of your website. With a VPS, you are given dedicated resources, i.e., bandwidth, CPU, memory and storage, solely for your own use.
  6. Strong security, better compliance
    Being independent of the other accounts on the physical server makes VPS far more secure than on shared hosting. Getting infected by malware or having data stolen is far less probable because the apps and data are stored separately. If another VPS user gets attacked, it’s impossible for the attackers to access your files.
  7. Managed services
    VPS hosting comes with managed services. This means your web host will take care of things like OS updates and patching, firewalls, intrusion monitoring and remote backups. This will take the burden off you and give you the peace of mind that essential management tasks are taken care of.
    In addition, your host will look after the hardware: servers are constantly monitored for performance, properly maintained and regularly upgraded. This improves loading speed for your site and ensures that your VPS performs flawlessly, regardless of how busy you are.

Conclusion

For companies outgrowing shared hosting but not needing the enormous capacity of a dedicated server, VPS is the ideal go-between. Providing large storage, high performance and exceptional reliability, they fulfil the needs of many small to mid-sized companies. They are also, in comparison to dedicated servers, far more affordable. If you are considering upgrading to VPS hosting for your website, take a look at WHUK’s range of Linux VPS and Windows VPS packages.

Author

  • Niraj Chhajed

    I'm a SEO and SMM Specialist with a passion for sharing insights on website hosting, development, and technology to help businesses thrive online.

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