Virtual Private Servers: 5 Things to Look for When Taking Your Small Business Online
Virtual Private Servers (VPS) have taken the small business world by storm. The advantages offered by VPS are considerable and can save any business a lot of money, but are more obvious in the small business community where a few thousand dollars can mean the difference between success and failure.
A VPS removes the need for your company to have its own physical servers. Access to a VPS gives your company the same advantages of having a physical server, but the operating system is run on the cloud. Anything that can be done on a physical server can be accomplished on a VPS without the expense of owning or leasing the physical equipment.
A small business that wants to save money on operating costs but has the need for a dedicated server can find a substantial number of companies on the internet that can fill their needs, but not all of these companies are created equal. Cost, security, performance benchmarks and other factors vary from company to company and there are tradeoffs for the customer to consider.
The primary factors to look for in a VPS include:
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Cost
The bottom line for any company is cost versus performance. Taking your servers online is the same. There are various kinds of VPS services and some of them can be quite expensive, but offer more features that improve performance and security. Shopping around for a VPS and comparing different offerings will give you an idea of what the market bears.
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Security
There have been several high-profile hacks over the last few years that have brought online security into focus. Although security should be a concern, reputable VPS companies maintain the highest level of online security and keep their servers updated. This could be more of a factor with the software you are running on it than anything the server owner does. Maintaining your software updates is the best way to minimize security concerns.
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Performance
Since a VPS is created on a remote server with other users, your performance might be less when there is a larger server volume. Although you can pay to get better access, finding a VPS host that has the capabilities to handle multiple users without a loss of performance will be more effective in the long run.
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Control
You can determine the level of control you have over your VPS by working with the hosting company. If you want full control of your VPS, you will be responsible for maintenance and upkeep but will have full root access and be the only administrator. Managed hosting, on the other hand, doesn’t give you root access but the hosting company is responsible for keeping the server healthy and running.
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Stability
With the adoption of any innovative technology, companies appear looking to cash in on the latest trend. Some of these companies do everything right and create a useful product, while others are interested solely in the bottom line, leading to questionable practices and long-term problems for customers.
According to the management of Accu Web Hosting, “Choosing the right VPS for your company means more than saying, ‘we need this.’ You have to determine what you need and find the right company to fill that need.”
Like any other product, determining whether you need to use a VPS and what company you choose should be the culmination of research, cost analysis, and company goals. Going with a VPS because it is the newest trend is as bad as sticking to costly, maintenance intensive physical servers because that is the way your company has always done it.
