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VPS hosting is the most popular host option for small and medium-sized businesses. This is due to its numerous advantages over a dedicated server and shared virtual hosting. Among them, it is necessary to emphasize a completely isolated and flexible server environment, as well as a high level of security. It is also important to say about the affordable cost of VPS, a large selection of plans offered by a large provider. But it is the variety of packages, which can be called a plus, that often makes it difficult to choose a VPS for a particular user. What criteria is it recommended to pay attention to when choosing a United Kingdom VPS?
Checklist for Buying VPS Hosting
Equipment performance
If the power of traditional virtual hosting is not enough for the trouble-free operation of your web resource, you just need to switch to VPS. This hosting variant demonstrates high performance. However, before choosing a hoster, make sure that the characteristics stated by them correspond to reality. Specify what hardware is installed in the data center, what parameters the physical server has.
You need to pay attention to RAM, processors, high-performance RAID controllers, hard drives. Of course, it may be difficult for you to understand all these parameters by yourself, so it is better to use the advice of an independent specialist.
Important: If the provider is not ready to provide data on the type and configuration of the equipment used, think about what they are hiding. Of course, there are commercial secrets. However, high-performance equipment is the pride of any hoster, because they will talk about it as a competitive advantage.
Free setup
Not every user who switches from traditional virtual hosting has expert profile knowledge sufficient for self-configuration of VPS. Do not worry that you will have to immediately gnaw the granite of technical sciences or spend a lot of money on administrator services. Many providers take on the option of setting up a VPS tailored to your needs. Moreover, some hosters do it for free as part of the plan.
As a rule, tenants are asked to choose an operating system, applications, and scripts that will be able to ensure the operation of the site in the required mode.
Managed Hosting
A virtual private server differs from a shared hosting by its high manageability. The client themself determines the type and volume of the installed software. This opens up great opportunities, but also requires some effort – it is necessary to manage programs and applications, install updates in a timely manner, and view error logs to exclude software incompatibility or incorrect operation.
If you are not ready to do administration yourself or if your staff does not have a department of technical specialists who would take on this responsibility, choose managed hosting. This type of service provides that the provider’s technical support department will take control of your server space.
In addition to regular updates of the operating system and software, the VPS hoster will provide security. And the support service specialists are ready to recommend tools that will improve the performance of a virtual private server.
Data transfer rate
Small and medium-sized business sites and e-commerce sites need reliable and capacious data storage, high performance, excellent data transfer speed, and responsiveness. This is all necessary, including for generating traffic, and simultaneous transactions involving a large number of clients. That is why unlimited bandwidth becomes another important parameter that is worth paying attention to.
Make sure that the virtual private server does not limit the bandwidth. It is also important to clarify whether an additional fee will be charged for exceeding such a “limit”. These are important factors since bandwidth and e-business development are interrelated concepts.
Selecting the control panel
The virtual private server and the website hosted on the VPS are managed by the control panel. This tool allows you to install programs and updates, configure the firewall, change configuration settings, add mailboxes, check the operation of the security system, and so on. Control panels such as cPanel and Plesk are popular. These tools are a step above other variations available on the market. If necessary, the provider will install the panel that you prefer. There are also tariff plans with already loaded control panels, which differ in maximum compatibility with the existing operating system.
Backup
A backup is a guarantee of quick disaster recovery of the site after its fall or a short-term failure of the physical server. Creating backups of a website is also a guarantee of the safety of databases from loss. Therefore, it is so important that the provider performs this manipulation with the necessary frequency – once every 15 minutes, once an hour. This is a prerequisite for the successful operation of the VPS.
Round-the-clock technical support
Any virtual private server is just dedicated and limited disk space on a physical machine. This, as well as the use of additional scenarios, can cause sudden failures, errors, and other technological problems. Since the virtual private server itself, the control panel, and all the software serve one task – uninterrupted business, it is important to avoid downtime.
Even if you have your own system administrator, not all issues can be closed independently. And if it is not there, then there is a serious risk of the site falling. To avoid this, you should choose a provider that guarantees the round-the-clock operation of the technical support service, as well as the opportunity to contact its representatives with your question at any time of the day or night. Such support is a whole team of specialists in your arsenal.
Important: A reliable host is no longer just a provider. He is rather a partner, especially if we are talking about providing a managed virtual private server to the client. After all, he turns out to be interested in the trouble-free, well-coordinated work of the resource.
Conclusion
You can write a dozen articles about the advantages of VPS over other hosting options. A proven and reliable tool allows website owners to successfully develop e-business, promote the brand on the World Wide Web, attract traffic and provide high throughput.
But in order for all these characteristics to correspond to reality and work for you, it is important to choose the best option among all the offers of the specialized market. Trust a provider that has a high reputation and offers several tariff plans at once, guarantees round-the-clock support, and does not hide data about its physical servers.
