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VPS or Cloud? Which one is right for my business?

Web Hosting Blog

When you’re searching for reliable hosting for your business, it’s essential to know the difference between cloud hosting and VPS hosting, so we’re here to make sure you understand the difference and help you decide which one is right for you.

What are Virtual Private Servers? 

Virtual Private Servers, otherwise known as VPS, is when you divide a physical server into several smaller virtual servers. Even though they’re physically a part of the same server, each virtual server acts as a dedicated server environment. 

Since you have a dedicated section of the server, you get your own resources allocated to you, which you can customise and configure to your requirements. An advantage of VPS’s is that there is no exchange of data or file access between accounts on the physical server. 

The biggest risk with VPS hosting is that if one physical server fails, then every VPS using that server also fails. 

The advantages of VPS hosting

There are many reasons to choose a VPS hosting plan:

  • You have more allocated resources: Since you’re renting a larger section of the server, you have access to more of the server’s resources than other types of hosting like shared hosting.
  • You have access to all the settings: In most cases, you’ll have much more control with a VPS. Depending on your hosting provider, you might have root access, the ability to view all hidden files and access all settings. If there’s something you don’t have access to, your hosting company are more likely to adjust it for you.
  • It’s scalable – to an extent: You can upgrade your plan without migrating your site if you need additional resources. But, since a VPS has finite resources, you’ll need to migrate to a new server or choose a new type of hosting when you reach its limit. 

The disadvantages of VPS hosting

  • You’re still sharing a server: Despite having your own environment, you are still sharing a physical server with others. So you don’t have access to all the resources on the server, just those that are allocated to you. Additionally, there is a fixed level of performance. 
  • It can get technical: Using a VPS can sometimes get pretty technical. If you are not the most comfortable with the technical side of hosting, you can always choose to have a managed VPS and use a hosting provider that provides 24/7 in-house support. 
  • Less reliable than other forms of hosting: VPS is less reliable than cloud hosting because if the physical server your VPS environment is on crashes, then every VPS on that server goes down.
  • Not as scalable:  VPS doesn’t scale as well as cloud hosting because VPSs have finite resources, as previously mentioned, which means traffic surges can be a problem.

When to consider VPS hosting

In general, when you’re deciding between VPS or cloud hosting, a VPS is the best hosting option if:

  • You have a SME business or website and you don’t expect to have sudden traffic spikes
  • You have enough knowledge of VPSs to manage one or find a managed VPS supplier.
  • You need a customisable server. 

What Is Cloud Hosting?

Unlike VPS, which uses a single physical server, cloud hosting consists of multiple servers (called nodes) and external SAN storage with virtualisation software, like VMWare installed, onto the nodes converting the physical hardware into cloud-based platforms. 

A cloud platform should have no single point of failure. Suppose any of the hardware fails for any reason. In that case, the virtualisation software automatically moves your cloud software to an unaffected node, giving you peace of mind your cloud server will remain online. 

With cloud hosting you have two options public and private cloud. Public cloud is a multi-tenant cloud computing environment. You share the CPU, RAM storage and network hardware with multiple tenants. And private cloud only hosts one company’s data—everything from the CPU, RAM storage and network hardware dedicated to your business.

The advantages of cloud hosting

  • It’s one of the most reliable types of hosting: If you store all of your website data on one server and a disaster happens, you lose your data. But with cloud hosting, virtualisation software automatically moves your cloud software to an unaffected node, giving you peace of mind your cloud server will remain online.
  • It’s scalable: With cloud hosting, it’s easy to add and remove resources as and when you need them. For example, if you expect a high-traffic period, you can add extra resources to cover that period, which you can’t do with VPS hosting. 
  • Its customisable: Cloud hosting servers are incredibly versatile, making it easy to tailor a cloud server plan to your exact specification making it the perfect solution for those with specific requirements. 

The disadvantages of cloud hosting

  • Security, its safe but you need to take precautions: If you are using the public cloud, you are still sharing resources with other sites and since your site is also on the web, it’s still potentially vulnerable to hackers — and cloud hosting doesn’t change that. That’s why it’s still critical to secure your website and hosting.
  • It can get technical Cloud hosting isn’t an easy solution to set up, and it can often be tricky. If you are not the most comfortable with the technical side of hosting, you can always choose to have a managed cloud and use a hosting provider that provides 24/7 in-house support. 

When to consider cloud hosting

On the other hand, when you’re deciding between VPS vs cloud hosting, cloud is the best option if:

  • You’re comfortable with managing the technical side of cloud hosting, or you have found managed cloud hosting provider.
  • Your website is large, and you plan on growing.
  • If it’s not uncommon to get significant traffic surges, such as if your content goes viral regularly or you have large sales. 
  • Your business or website is rapidly growing, or you expect it to, and you need to be sure your host can keep up without having to worry about possible downtime.

If you have any questions that we haven’t managed to answer in the blog, or if you want to talk it through in more detail, get in touch with a member of our team. Our experts are always happy to help you choose the right solution.