This VPS Hosting Facts Will Protect Your Website Against Hackers

Share this:

When you first start your online journey, it’s probably a shared hosting plan that catches your attention.

What then happens after outgrowing your shared hosting resources? This is where VPS hosting comes into play.

Scalability, improved security, root access, among others are some of the benefits of considering switching over to VPS hosting.

In this article, I will go over what VPS hosting is, its benefits and who is it suited for. By the end of this post, you’ll no longer be a novice in terms of VPS hosting.

Let’s begin…

What is VPS Hosting?

The term “VPS” means “virtual private server hosting.

A virtual private server (VPS) is allocated space on a server with all of the features of a full server. A virtual private server (VPS) is essentially a separate partition of a real server.

Hosting providers frequently divide a single physical server into many virtual partitions so that each website and its files can be kept fully independent.

VPS hosting is a hybrid of shared and dedicated hosting, giving you more power and flexibility at a lesser cost than a dedicated server.

Virtual server hosting comes with its own set of programs, operating systems, customizations, and resources.

If your WordPress website exceeds shared hosting, VPS hosting or managed WordPress hosting are the ideal upgrades.

You have more control and freedom over your server with VPS hosting. With tremendous power comes the obligation for setup and upkeep.

A virtual private server (VPS) is a low-cost option for a small business to get greater flexibility and performance than shared hosting while avoiding the costs of maintaining a dedicated server.

Usually, small enterprises don’t require the full capacity of a dedicated server, therefore VPS is a decent middle ground when you’ve outgrown shared hosting.

Get the scalability and efficiency of your own server without any of the cost or hassle of dealing with leased hardware.

One disadvantage of VPS hosting is that if any physical server crashes, all VPSs that use that server will crash as well.

If one website is dominating resources on the physical server, the performance of a VPS can be affected, though most hosting providers split the multiple VPS portions in such a way that this danger is minimized.

How Does VPS Hosting Work?

Even if you’re technically sharing the actual server with other users, VPS Hosting mimics the feeling of having a dedicated server.

A virtual private server (VPS) is essentially a server within a server. Multiple virtual servers are hosted on the same physical server, each separated from the others.

Employing virtualization technology, your web hosting company creates a simulated layer on top of the server’s operating system. This layer divides the server into multiple compartments separated by virtual walls, allowing each user to run their own operating system and software.

This is achieved through the use of software known as a hypervisor, which divides the physical server into parts and keeps each section independent from the others.

A VPS is actually a private server because it isolates your files from other users on the OS level. This implies that your website is housed in a secure container with assured server resources, such as memory, storage space, and CPU cores. You are not obligated to share any of it.

Each VPS operates its own operating system, separate from the others, giving the impression that it is a standalone server. Each VPS can also be restarted on its own.

Types of VPS Hosting

When it comes to VPS hosting, there are two main types:

1. Managed VPS

Managed VPS can help website owners with less technical knowledge or a smaller workforce. IT professionals from your hosting provider ease your stress by having your server up and running and looking after your virtual server with managed VPS hosting.

Here’s what you should look for in a web hosting company:

  • Initial server setup: There are a few stages to perform when launching your website on a VPS, including installing your control panel, server software, and any apps as well as your operating system. This is something that a managed host will take care of.
  • Upgrades: Similarly, all program and operating system updates, as well as continuing server fine tweaking, will be handled for you. Patches for your operating system and essential server software are installed and updated on your account.
  • Monitoring: Your host will look for symptoms of hardware breakdown and malicious attacks early on.
  • Automated backups: If something bad happens with your website, you can restore it to a previous state.

2. Unmanaged VPS

With an unmanaged VPS, your web hosting company is responsible for installing the operating system, while you, as the website owner is responsible for administering various parts of the server, including:

  • Installing software
  • Setting up your control panel
  • Keeping up with software updates
  • Monitoring security risk
  • Making sure that security patches are installed
  • Getting error messages fixed
  • You won’t get much of any help from your host if there’s an outage or hardware issue
  • Configuring and managing your server, as well as any upgrades you may like is to be done by you
  • You are in charge of setting up backup services for your website

This is a good option for website owners who are tech-savvy. It is often better to consult with your VPS hosting company to find what management options are available.

Price vs. flexibility is the considerations that exist between managed and unmanaged hosting. While unmanaged services are, by definition, less expensive than managed options, there is a catch: you must either have the technical know-how to manage and maintain a server or be willing to employ someone to keep it running smoothly and free of any cyber-attacks.

See Also: Liquid Web Review – Best Managed Web Hosting for WordPress

Benefits of VPS Hosting

If you are skeptical about switching over to VPS hosting, the benefits below may just be enough to help you make up your mind.

1. Root access

Since a VPS is a self-contained server, you’ll have root access, which you’ll need to customize and run your own operating system as well as other programs.

On the other hand, shared hosting simply offers you access to a directory on the shared server, but you can’t customize the program.

2. Setup your own virtual private network (VPN)

Since some countries restrict sensitive websites, virtual private networks (VPNs) are becoming increasingly vital.

They do this by detecting citizens’ IP addresses and prohibit their access to the internet.

If your IP address is from a certain country on their blacklist, you’ll have a difficult time trying to access the internet in such countries.

To get through the firewall, it’s always recommended that you “mask” your identity by connecting to a VPN from another country.

There are a plethora of VPN providers available, but if you have a VPS, you can set up your own VPN on a Linux server.

3. Increased security

When contrasted to a dedicated server, VPS hosting provides you with a high level of protection.

Being that each VPS is isolated from others on the same physical server, even if another website on the server is compromised or infected with malware, your website will remain unaffected.

Furthermore, because everything is hosted on a single physical server, security is significantly tougher than it is with dedicated or cloud hosting.

You should be aware, however, that VPS hosting is not without risk.

If a DDoS assault is launched against another website on your server, the actual server may be rendered unusable if the attack is large enough.

On a VPS, you’re also in charge of your own security tweaks and installations, thus the amount of security depends on the precautions you take to make your VPS safe.

4. You have your own public IP

Owning a dedicated IP address implies that your website has its own address, and you may visit it via the web using either its IP address or the domain name.

With VPS hosting, you have your own public static IP rather than sharing the same IP as with shared web hosting. A dedicated IP can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, including permitting you to access your website when the DNS is not configured, increasing performance when traffic is excessive, and enhancing security.

However, a dedicated IP is essentially the same as having your own unique identifier on the internet.

5. The ability to scale

Scalability allows you to quickly increase disk space, bandwidth, or other resources to meet your growing needs.

Another reason VPSs are so popular is their greater scalability choices. Most VPS customers begin with a low-powered VPS. Managing your server correctly will save you money, and a VPS may be scaled up and down as needed.

If a client website hosted on a VPS experiences rapid growth, the VPS may always be upgraded with more memory, CPU, and storage.

6. Better support

When compared to shared web hosting, VPS plans typically give greater support, with most issues being resolved within minutes.

This is particularly true because as a VPS user, you are seen as a prime customer when compared to shared hosting users. Due to this, the web host will want to always keep you satisfied since you are paying more to host your website.

What all of this translates to is simply better support from your hosting company.

7. Affordable

A VPS is not only less expensive and better value than a dedicated server, but it also has a fixed monthly fee.

You select your plan and each month receive the guaranteed amount of resources.

VPS hosting costs vary depending on a number of criteria, including resource limits, server specifications, and the degree of support you need.

8. Dedicated resources

Your VPS’s resources are allocated completely to you, similar to a dedicated server. In addition, the quantity of RAM and CPU accessible on a VPS is far higher than what is accessible on shared hosting.

What does this imply for you personally? You’ll be able to handle a lot more traffic while running a lot more apps. All of this is feasible without incurring additional costs, resulting in a win-win situation.

9. Customization

With a VPS, you may modify your operating system to meet your specific demands because you have your own operating system.

If you have your own versions of server applications such as MySQL, PHP, and Apache, for example, you can configure them to match your needs.

10. Multiple cPanel accounts

Both cPanel and WHM will be available to manage your VPS hosting account. You can create numerous cPanel accounts for various websites with WHM. This can be beneficial in terms of security.

It also makes managing big amounts of data and websites a breeze. You can also make cPanel accounts for your friends, clients, and family members.

11. Serves as private storage

It can be tough to find a means to share huge files with others. Of course, you can save it to an online storage service like Google Drive or OneDrive, but copyright difficulties may arise.

VPS services will normally supply you with enough HDD/SSD space to get started. Most VPS providers will supply you with up to 15GB of storage, which is plenty to set up a web server and upload any significant files.

In the event that someone requests large items, such as software or movies, you can use VPS as temporary storage.

12. Increased reliability

The concept of shared hosting is comparable to that of a stack of cards. A single malicious user can bring the entire server down.

If you choose to host on a shared server, the uptime and general efficiency of your website will be influenced by the other websites on the same server. This implies that if your server is also hosting a rookie who is a web-programming enthusiast and the server crashes as a result of his activity, your website will suffer.

When compared to shared hosting, VPS hosting provides more uptime and reliability.  Only a few servers are usually hosted on a single node. This helps to assure uptime and performance.

When is a Virtual Private Server Necessary?

VPS hosting is typically considered the next step once your website outgrows shared hosting’s resource constraints.

VPS hosting, on the other hand, isn’t for everybody and it works better in some scenarios than others.

We don’t want to merely pitch you on the advantages of a VPS, so here are a few reasons why you might want to think about it.

1. Security

If you require advanced monitoring capabilities, additional security features, increased website reliability, additional backup space, or plan to accept any type of online payment, a VPS can be the right choice for you.

With a VPS, you have dependable resources as well as top-notch security.

2. High volume of traffic

If you’re just getting started with your website and don’t expect a lot of traffic, shared hosting is the way to go.

However, if the number of visitors to your website is regularly increasing, you should consider upgrading to a VPS hosting plan.

You don’t want to risk your website loading slowly or, worse still, your server collapsing due to a lack of resources.

If you anticipate a surge in traffic, do yourself a favor and upgrade to a VPS before it happens.

3. Slow website speed

Websites that require a lot of RAM should avoid shared hosting.

As your website expands and you add more material, you will notice a decrease in the time it takes for your website to load.

When this happens, it means you’ve reached the maximum of your capabilities.

You can scale your website without worrying about poor load times if you upgrade to a VPS plan.

See Also: How To Speed Up Your Website – The Best Working Methods

4. You own an online store

If you plan to start an online store, you should switch your hosting plan if you’re currently on a shared hosting plan.

The reason for this is because you’ll have a secure and dedicated virtual server with a VPS, you’ll also stand a better chance of passing a PCI compliance exam.

Major credit card companies created the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard to protect cardholder data from theft.

If you’re using a payment gateway to process credit cards on your website, you’ll want to do whatever you can to protect your customers’ financial information.

VPS is the superior option for ecommerce websites since it is more protected than shared hosting.

5. Custom software installation

Shared hosting is ideal for webmasters that use WordPress or other standard Content Management Systems to create their sites.

You’ll want a hosting choice that gives you greater control if you need to employ a bespoke server configuration, install custom software, or do any other complicated programming.

Billing, various common tax, bookkeeping, and other integrative systems, on the other hand, necessitate 24-hour server availability and high-speed internet.

You’ll need either a VPS or a dedicated hosting account to run these applications properly.

If you use a shared server, you’ll be frustrated when you find out that sophisticated activities aren’t allowed or that your apps don’t have the support they require to work properly.

Rather than dealing with this potential issue, consider upgrading to VPS hosting and gain immediate control over your programming decisions.

See Also: This Is The Best Way To Install WordPress According To Experts.

6. Server errors

Do you get 500 internal server errors, “Service Unavailable” errors, or “Internal Server Error” issues frequently? If you notice errors, it’s probable that your visitors will see them as well.

While you may solve downtime issues, server faults simply cannot be tolerated in an online business. Upgrade to a VPS to avoid this issue.

7. Limited financial resources

Whereas a dedicated hosting plan can resolve many of the issues on this list, it’s vital to keep in mind that dedicated hosting is a considerably more expensive choice.

If you need to improve your security, bandwidth, or RAM, VPS hosting is the most cost-effective solution.

8. Digital marketing companies

Is building websites for your clients a component of your job?

You can host an unlimited number of websites on a VPS while ensuring that each site has adequate RAM to run properly.

9. Additional storage

With countless incidents of data thefts and security breaches by many large IT organizations, there is a real fear that cloud services are risky to utilize.

Aside from that, cloud services can be fairly costly.

Keeping your most essential information on a VPS with suitable security measures setup will be a safe and cost-effective way to eliminate those annoying external hard disks for backups.

How to Pick the Best VPS Hosting Service

When choosing VPS hosting for your website, here are some essential questions to ask and things to think about.

1. Environment

Which operating system will you use?

You might think this is a no-brainer, but it’s worth sharing: Check to see if the hosting plan you choose is compatible with your operating system.

Linux and Windows are two possibilities that are fairly different, but you should start by deciding which one is best for you.

2. Managed vs. unmanaged

Do you have someone or a team of people who can help you run your VPS server?

If you pick a self-managed service, you must be proficient with server administration, troubleshooting, and administering the programs, software, and services installed on your VPS.

A managed VPS package is the way to go if you are either inexperienced with these admin capabilities or just want your hosting provider to handle it for you.

3. Enough hard disk space

Calculating the entire size of your website is difficult, but you may get a ballpark estimate by passing a webpage URL through a web page size checker tool and multiplying the result by the number of pages on your website.

If you have a lot of high-resolution photographs or self-hosted films, your storage requirements are likely to skyrocket.

4. Redundancy and scalability

How will your server backup data?

Imagine you’re working on a website redesign if something bad happens and you lose everything because you failed to back it up.

There are shivers. This is an all-too-common incident that can cost you time, money, and a few goosebumps.

Make sure you pick a VPS provider that makes backups simple and has a redundancy plan in place to guarantee your data is safely backed up beyond using a single server.

Furthermore, can your hosting provider adapt to meet your changing needs should your business bandwidth requirements increase or when you need to expand?

5. Customer support

When selecting a plan, it’s easy to neglect help and support, but if something goes wrong with your website, you’ll quickly regret giving this more thought!

Even the finest preparations can go wrong, which is why you’ll require assistance when the time comes.

Make sure you choose a hosting company that will provide you with support whenever you need it, such as 24/7 support.

You risk losing crucial uptime if you don’t have customer support.

6. Cost

Many people believe that VPS solutions are prohibitively expensive. Prices are likely to continue to reduce as a result of developments in virtualization technologies.

Most hosting companies give storage and RAM, as well as a data transmission speed, certain IP addresses, and other features.

While this varies by provider, you may expect to save a significant amount of money by switching to a VPS.

VPS hosting services generally charge a monthly cost for the entire package, so it’s a good idea to check prices before deciding on one, as this will affect how much you spend on a monthly basis.

See Also: How Much Does It Cost to Host a Website? The Ultimate Truth

7. Hardware

When buying a VPS hosting package, make sure your provider has the most up-to-date hardware, such as solid-state drives (SSD), which are the quickest storage technology.

Since SSDs have no moving parts, they make it easier to execute high-speed applications.

8. Sufficient bandwidth

The amount of traffic your website can take while keeping decent load times is determined by bandwidth.

Having lots of bandwidth is critical when you experience major jumps in traffic (for example, an ecommerce business running discount sales).

Sites with a continuous stream of visitors don’t have to be concerned about this.

See Also: How To Choose The Best Web Hosting – 25+ Factors To Consider

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who are the best virtual private server (VPS) providers?

Having seen that VPS hosting is a perfect choice for those who have surpassed shared hosting, the best VPS providers that will deliver the type of uptime, scalability, and security already discussed in this post are:

InMotion Hosting – This is the best overall VPS hosting company, with prices starting at $17.99 per month.

A2 Hosting – Best value for money: unmanaged VPS hosting starts at $6.99 per month and managed VPS hosting starts at $39.99 per month.

Bluehost – Starts at $18.99/month with the best features.

iPage – Starting at $19.99/month, is the best option for customer service.

HostGator – Most dependable: starts at $19.95 per month

GreenGeeks – Excellent server uptime: $39.95/month

Hostinger – For dedicated IP addresses, Hostinger is the best option: begins at $3.95 per month

DreamHost – Starts at $10/month for the best bandwidth.

2. Is it safe to use a VPS?

Yes.

When compared to shared hosting, VPS is a safer option because it protects your website from major security threats.

However, because the VPS is a standalone server, it has all of the same security flaws as any other non-virtual server.

This means that hosting a VPS is just as safe as running a dedicated server.

3. What is the difference between a VPS and a dedicated server?

You use the same server with other individuals in a VPS setup, but resources are not shared. Every user on the server gets a share of the server’s resources.

Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, gives you complete ownership of the server and all of its resources.

Another distinction is that VPS hosting is less expensive than dedicated hosting. This is due to the fact that with a VPS, you do not have exclusive access to all of the server’s resources.

4. Is cloud hosting less expensive than a virtual private server?

Cloud hosting is more expensive than VPS hosting due to its infinite resources and high scalability.

However, it still offers exceptional value for money and is often less expensive than a dedicated server.

Due to the extreme scalability choices, cloud hosting charges are less predictable than VPS hosting.

5. How much RAM does my VPS require?

If you’re using a VPS hosting package to handle a single website or server, 1GB to 2GB of RAM would suffice.

If your website is relatively light and you expect to receive traffic from up to a million users per month, a basic VPS plan is a reasonable choice.

6. Do I require Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting?

There’s no need to acquire VPS hosting if you’re a newbie just starting a WordPress blog. All of the resources you’ll need to get started are included in a shared hosting plan.

Shared hosting options are cost-effective and require little technical knowledge to get started. VPS, on the other hand, maybe a suitable solution for you if you are a well-established blogger with big traffic numbers.

If you are concerned about the security of your website, you can also use VPS.

7. What makes Contabo inexpensive?

Contabo is so inexpensive because they run their own data center and own the gear, which lowers the cost of operating significantly when compared to other competitors who either collocate or rent infrastructure.

They use outdated and cheap hardware, and the servers are unmanaged, so they don’t need a lot of help.

In contrast to enterprise systems like OnApp, Contabo uses Proxmox, which is open-source software.  They also don’t give backups, which adds to the above.

Also, with a cheap Contabo VPS, you only get a certain amount of bandwidth, and if you wish to upgrade, you’ll have to pay to transfer your data. Other suppliers may not charge for this, but they will not be as inexpensive.

Conclusion

For making it to the conclusion of this post, you deserve a pat on the shoulder. Why? Because you’re no longer a VPS newbie at this point.

If your site is growing and attracting some well-deserved publicity, you’ll want to keep up with it. That suggests it’s time to upgrade to a VPS server to improve your site’s resources.

If you’re tech-savvy and on a budget, I suggest unmanaged VPS services from Hostinger or A2 hosting.

However, if you have the funds and are concerned about both performance and security, InMotion Hosting and DreamHost VPS hosting would suffice.

WebHost Bros is an online resource that helps you to find the best web host that is best for you. Here is our list of the best hosting providers in the market.