What Is a Virtual Private Server and Why Does Your Business Need One?

As a successful business owner, there will come a time when you outgrow the website you set up when your company was born. With increasing sales and growing stakeholder expectations, your shared hosting plan just won’t be cut out to serve all your website traffic.

If you’ve reached this exciting position in your entrepreneurial journey, don’t fret. The next step up in hosting technology is here: a virtual private server. Learn why you should buy linux vps or windows for your business below.

What is a Virtual Private Server?

A virtual private server, or VPS hosting, refers to a style of hosting that is generally contained in one physical server. This server is divided into several partitions, which make up smaller virtual servers. Despite being within the same server, each virtual server essentially operates separately from its neighbors. A VPS setup offers you many of the benefits of a dedicated server without the hefty price tag.

What are the Benefits of Choosing a Virtual Private Server?

1. Affordability

There will always be costs associated with growing your business, but for a smaller company, the investment of a dedicated server may be an unnecessary use of funds that could be better spent on marketing or product acquisition. A VPS is a solid, cost-effective option for companies that are getting more website traffic but aren’t quite ready to take on big ecommerce players, like Amazon. 

Unlike traditional cloud technology, the windows vps price, for example, is typically a predictable monthly cost depending on your plan. Clouds, conversely, can leave you with inconsistent monthly costs as a result of traffic spikes.

2. Security

If website security is on the top of your list, a VPS is the way to go. Because your server operates independently from the other sites sharing the same physical server, you aren’t as vulnerable to malicious scripts or hackers as you are with shared hosting. Unlike cloud hosting, you also have a lot of freedom when it comes to customizing the server environment, which allows you to implement additional security software and features if required.

3. E-commerce Compliance

If your business involves ecommerce, a VPS is a must. With VPS, you can offer your customers a secure shopping experience. Sites using VPS are also much more likely to pass a PCI (payment card industry) compliance test, which was established by leading credit card brands to combat data theft. Failure to pass PCI compliance can leave you with a hefty fine and seriously damage your relationship with stakeholders.

4. Root Access

One major benefit of VPS vs cloud or shared hosting is the root access provided. This allows you to customize your server as you wish and gives you almost complete control over the scripts and programs you can install. If you’re not confident managing the server, you can opt for a semi-managed or managed hosting plan, where your provider assumes responsibility for installations and security checks.

Just like your business, VPS technology is constantly evolving. For a reliable and innovative hosting option, move to a virtual private server today.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.