How To Consider a VPS/VDS

by The-REV
(Plesk user since it's first versions)


                  

 

 
Virtual Private Server (VPS) a.k.a Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) Technology is a new technology based on the concept of partitions on mainframes and advanced resource scheduling to divide a computer into many virtually isolated servers. A VDS simply put is, a server that runs inside another server. Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) Technology is a new technology based on the concept of partitions on mainframes and advanced resource scheduling to divide a computer into many virtually isolated servers. A VDS simply put is, a server that runs inside another server. Each VDS acts like a dedicated server but shares the same hardware. VPS is a great deal over physical servers if you are running between 10/30 normal websites. If any problem with the Operating System appears you simply reload it (or install another, depending the system and the provider you are using). In a physical box this operation is paid and costs between $ 30/50 USD and you have to request it by ticket or doing it by yourself if you are SoftLayer customer...Also reboot in VPS is direct and by a click a mouse and this is for free, in Virtuozzo VZPP or in LxLabs Hyper VM. But VPS in fact is not totally yours because CPU is shared with other users of VPSs hosted in a physical server. Then, this dedi have to be strong and powerfull, with much CPU and much RAM or you will be in a trap. Also note that the inode numbers allowed is very important and the minimum acceptable for 30 GB disk space is over 500,000.

VDS technology completely isolates each VDS, creating a more secure and reliable hosting environment. Each VDS has its own isolated disk space, guaranteed network interface bandwidth, guaranteed cpu allocation, RAM and operating system. If a VDS on the same physical server crashes, the other accounts on the server are protected and remain unaffected. It is not possible for any account to use up all the RAM, disk space, network bandwidth, CPU cycles, or any other resources of the Hosting Server. Neither is it possible for one account to view/edit the files of any other account.

VDS website owners have full control of the environment with their own root accounts and have:

- ability to install and run its own application software, e.g: Apache (web server), Sendmail (mail server), MySQL (database server), Bind (DNS server)

- ability to manage own config files

- ability to configure/modify root application software

- ability to delete, add, modify any file, including files in the root server full control over all files and processes on the virtual server Who needs the Virtual Dedicated Server?

The VDS suits ideally the needs of independent companies involved in the development of Internet sites. The DBS capabilities allow to host any customers? sites, while guaranteeing the freedom of choice as to the technologies applied, software components and script languages.

The VDS allows small Internet providers to set up their individual hosting application while avoiding them extra costs relating to the hosting platform and a need to worry about the server operation.

I guess you need to upgrade your RAM, go for minimum 512m mb assured. 256 mb is too less for VPS, especially if you are running Plesk. SWsoft's Virtuozzo and OpenVZ products cater to different crowds in the same market space. Virtual Machines (VMs) emulate system resources running on host resources, and create a Guest OS environment for each targeted platform. Subsequent OS images execute within a guest OS container without modifying the underlying OS. This, in turn, requires a VM monitor (VMM) to validate all guest-issued CPU instructions.

Some VPS providers sells VPS without VZPP but does not inform this fact in it's advertisements; after you order, you will discover that if you want a reboot you have to request it opening a ticket... other companies customizes VZPP for securiti reasons and customers have not the Maintenance option (backup VPS, reinstall VPS, repair VPS) enabled; others install an incomplete Plesk Control Panel, without individual backup for all accounts (only backup VPS through VZPP is available) and install not some items of Plesk Power Pack you have payd for it). Exist VPS providers using only cPanel and many others VPS providers using only Plesk. In Plesk case you have to verify if the VPS provider you choose is SWsoft partner: it is an extra guarantee because SWSoft is very selective with it's partnership, but many serious companies using Plesk are not SWSoft partners.

In VPS RAM and CPU are shared but few companies inform CPU available for each VPS. Other companies informs only the amount of RAM and burtable mark. Other companies, like Dotster, does not inform RAM, just because it is shared. Exist companies that provides two classes of VPS: Normal and Professional. The professional - much expensive more - appears like a real dedicated server, because only 4 or 8 in maximum VPS exist in each physical server. In normal mode each server can contains 30 or more VPS.

You would not consider a VPS without knowing:

1) Real uptime guarantee (is the VPS provider monitored by Hyperspin, Internet Seer etc?)

2) Guaranteed RAM

3) Burstable RAM

4) CPU allocation

5) Max number of VPS's per physical server

6) Physical server specs

7) Free daily backups. Some companies advertises "free backups" but simply does not provide it. If it's physical server chases you lose all your data. In few companies the VPS backups are stored on a different physical server, so if the physical server disks should crash, the backup is kept remotely. verify if the VPS provider you are examining have remote backup for free or if is payd as a addon.

8) Control panel options

9) Is its VZPP complete, with Maintenance Option enabled?

10) VPS comes with how many IPs? How much costs (setup and monthly each extra IP or block of IPs?

And more:

1) How many years of experience the host company have online with its domain name? Download for free my WhoisView (300K):  http://macarlohost.net/downloads/MNwhois.exe

no install is needed. Simply put it in your desktop or in a directory. Click it, type the name of web hosting company you are examining and lookup it: you will know who is its real name and what data center it is using. Note: this .exe is for Windows but it runs fine on all Linux distros if you are using CrossOver. Check it at: http://macarlo.com/dwmandrake.htm

then examine the domain name of the web hosting company in order to know all details using this whois:  http://www.whois.sc/

Now you can compare two hosters and I'm tinking the best option is the one with the best data center...

2) When its domain name will expire?

3) The hosting company have a trusted cert? verify if its webserver is secured by Thawte, VeriSign, Rapid, Geotrust or GoDaddy certs or only it's domain name is secure.

4) 30 days money back guarantee?

5) Check what people are saying about the product in serious web hosting forums.

6) Check for reviews and testimonials: do Google <about company name> 

@Macarlo Host Central