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In the past, when your website had exceeded the amount of resources available on a shared hosting platform, there was nowhere to go but to take a huge leap into the dedicated server world.  For many, this was just not an option with its high costs.  But with a resurgence of splitting a single server into multiple servers, alongside the development of virutalization software, another option is available with virtual private server (VPS) hosting.

VPS hosting bridges the gap between dedicated and shared hosting.  As with shared hosting, both services let a single server provide service to multiple users.  But the difference between the two are the features being shared.  A VPS, though contained in a server with others, has the ability to operate independently.  Therefore, you’re able to have your own operating system, software and resources, such as RAM and disk space, with just one of the few other shared aspects being CPU.

5 Benefits of VPS Hosting are:

1. Root/SSH Access – Unlike shared hosting where this accessibility is restricted, you can utilize the command line access and have the option of operating as the root user if you’ve got the experience to do so, which previously could only be done on a dedicated server.

2. Scalability – If you’re planning on having a simple website with just a few photos, such as a personal blog to share with friends and family or an informational business site with minimal features, shared hosting would be an adequate choice.  But if you’re looking to expand, shared hosting can only take you so far.  With a VPS, the dedicated resources open up many doors for room to grow.

3. Burstable Memory for Unpredictable Usage Spikes – If your goal is to gain popularity of your site, then you better be prepared for it.  Let’s say your blog is on the rise, and you get a link to your site from a much larger site like Digg, the inefficiencies of being on a shared server will be very apparent.  But on a VPS, most hosting companies offer “burstable memory,” which is a pool of reserved memory that can be used when needed, such as in times of traffic spikes.

4. Support Large Dynamic Websites – If you’re looking to have e-commerce as a dependable source of income on your site, it wouldn’t be a good idea to count on shared hosting to handle the heavy load.  With a shared hosting environment, you never know when someone else on the server may use up a large portion of the resources, so you’re at risk of your site not functioning time to time.

5. Dedicated Resources on a Budget – Not only is VPS hosting a great option because of all of the very useful features that it provides, but it has a very attractive price tag to it.  Compared to dedicated servers that can go for hundreds of dollars a month, VPS hosting is an excellent alternative with many of the same great features at a fraction of the cost.