What is the difference between a virtual server (VPS) and shared hosting?
Both hosting and delivery plans are shared, that is, several sites are hosted on the same server, however, the server (VPS) has many levels.
The main difference is that VPS is a machine virtualization software, and there can be many machines on a system, but each one has its operating system and resources provided for its use. In fact, within the server (physical machine) there are several pods (virtual machine) that are started, configured, and equipped independently of each other.
Advantages of virtual servers over shared web hosting
The main advantage of a Virtual Private Server (VPS) is that it allows the hosting of a multitude of websites with their respective operating systems and resources assigned for exclusive use on a single physical server (real) without affecting the operation of some clients to others.
In the virtual servers there is an appropriate distribution of resources since it guarantees for each web or domain:
storage space, RAM, and CPU processing but the most important thing are that in the VPS you can configure any aspect of the machine as if it were used only by us and this is achieved without affecting the configurations of other virtual servers hosted on the same physical machine.
For example, if the security of a web page is compromised, it does not affect the rest of the web pages of other clients that are on the same physical server because virtualization isolates resources, security problems, overconsumption, and data corruption.
Unlike VPS, in shared hosting, there is no virtualization of server resources, and therefore: “everything belongs to everyone”, although Hostinet takes measures to control this. There is a single Apache server where the different web pages are configured and all of them share the same configuration and resources that have been pre-established by the hosting company offering the hosting service. For this reason, it is usual that in shared hosting there are overloads in the server, even some companies manage to host more than 500 webs, which is not recommendable, as it is evident, in this sense, in a shared web hosting it is not possible to guarantee the level of resources assigned to our web, so that, the server can be saturated by other people’s domains. The better or worse performance of a website on a shared server will depend on other neighboring websites that share the resources.
When is a VPS server needed?
Sometimes it is important to have a VPS server, as shared hosting cannot provide all the features and flexibility of a VPS. For example, root access via SSH. For some users, it is important to be able to manage their servers with this remote-control protocol.
- For shared hosting, it is not possible to grant users SSH access for security reasons, so the only possible option is a VPS if SSH access is required.
- Another reason is often the software to be installed on the server. There are functionalities in a hosting that cannot be activated in shared hosting and there are applications that need these functionalities to work properly.
- If this is the case, a VPS server would be necessary, so if you must install a particular application, it is advisable that you send us the technical requirements of the software and we will tell you what the best option for your needs is.
- If your intention is to install WordPress, PrestaShop, etc…, you will have no problem with shared hosting.
- Shared hosting works with Cloud Linux, as we mentioned before, but if you need to work with another type of operating system, you will have to resort to a VPS server, since working independently, you can install the operating system you need. One of the main reasons to use a VPS server is resource management.
- As we said before, shared server resources, even if they are provided on a shared basis, but there will always be a limit.
- If the site or website project is too large, no shared host will be able to provide the necessary resources.
On VPS servers, these resources can be added as needed.
- If they run out of disk space they can add without problems, if they are out of RAM they can add an extra GB without problems, and if they need more processing power, they can add more processors at any time.
- This way any web project will have the resources it needs no matter how much it grows, but for this a VPS server is essential.
- So, for example, if the security of a web page is compromised, this does not affect the rest of the websites of other customers who are on the same physical server because virtualization is achieved with the isolation of both the resources and the security problems, overconsumption, data corruption.
Unlike VPS, in shared hosting, there is no virtualization of the server resources and therefore, “everything belongs to everyone”, although Hostinet takes measures to control this. There is a single Apache server where the different web pages are configured and basically, all of them share the same configuration and resources that have been pre-established by the hosting company offering the hosting service. For this reason, it is common that in shared hosting there are overloads in the server, even some companies manage to host more than 500 websites, which is not recommendable at all.
As it is evident, in this sense, in shared web hosting it is not possible to guarantee the level of resources assigned to our web, so that, the server can be saturated by other people’s domains. The better or worse performance of a website on a shared server will depend on other neighboring websites that share the resources.
