Virtual Dedicated Server hosting, or VDS, is the term for a physical server which, by means of software, has been partitioned into a number of "virtual" machines operating independently of each other as if they were standalone dedicated servers.
VDS - Advantages
The big advantage of VDS over a fully dedicated server is cost. Typically priced at less than one fourth the cost of full dedicated hosting, VDS hosting provides nearly all the same advantages. And compared to a shared web hosting plan, VDS is only slightly more expensive providing an excellent balance of economy and control.
With a VDS all physical resources such as memory, disk space, and the CPU continue to be shared, but each virtual server operates in a fully independent manner. For example, each VDS can run its own unique operating system and can be set up in any configuration imaginable.
The main advantage of a VDS is that each administrator maintains control at the root directory level of his or her own virtual server. Access at this level permits the web site owners to do a lot of neat things:
- Administer their own file directories
- Assign domain names that resolve to a primary domain without having to go through the web host
- Create and add e-mail accounts
- Assign email addresses
- Manage their own log files
- Maintain passwords
- Set permissions
- Delete and install software
VDS administrators effectively have the ability to do whatever an administrator can do on a real, physical server.
Security
Besides providing significantly greater control over the web hosting environment, the virtual dedicated server hosting is inherently more secure than any shared hosting server can be. Because web sites hosted on a shared server have to use the same operating system, a hacker who gets access to the server's root directory could damage all the websites residing on that server.
On the other hand, A VDS is compartmentalized such that a hacker gaining entry via one account could in no way access any of the others. Each VDS is totally invisible to each other and it's impossible to transfer root-level access capability from one account to another.
Virtual Dedicated Servers can be configured by the hosting company in a variety of ways so it's important that you understand how your web host has allocated the server's resources.
Typically the host would distribute the physical server resources evenly based on how many accounts and/or web sites are being hosted. Thus, with ten virtual servers on one physical server, each would be allocated ten percent of the storage, bandwidth, memory, and CPU time.
VDS - Disadvantages
Interestingly, the disadvantages of hosting on a VDS are pretty much the same as what the advantages are. If you're not sure what you are doing, having the full control that virtual dedicated hosting allows can be very risky.
For example, you can accidentally delete files, or set permissions inappropriately, or allow viruses and other malware to enter the system and, overall, just make a real mess of things. So if you lack the technical skills to administer a web server, and are unable or unwilling to learn them, virtual dedicated hosting may not be a good choice for you.
However, if your site has reached a size where shared web hosting no longer accommodate the demands of your business, virtual dedicated hosting can provide a highly cost-effective alternative to "real" dedicated server hosting.
The Bottom Line
When selecting a virtual dedicated hosting plan, make it your business to understand how all the server resources are allocated, what the available options are for operating systems, how many VDS accounts will reside on each server, as well as the terms and conditions for upgrading and downgrading to a different plan.
Virtual dedicated hosting is the real deal when you need a robust yet economical home for your web site.
Anthony Hamill is the founder of Web-Host-Watch.Comwhich provides webmasters with all the information they need to select a web hosting plan that's right for them.
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