The larger a website grows, the more critical the choice of hosting environment becomes. Shared hosting for startups is optimal, but when websites start to get more traffic or need more resources, then you need to move to a more powerful hosting solution.
Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) is not the same as shared hosting. It sets up separate virtual environments for each customer and isolates their sites. In this blog, we will look into virtual dedicated servers vs. shared hosting.
Understanding that difference between them is the first step in evaluating which hosting type is better suited for the specific needs of a given website.
How do these two types of hosting work?
Shared hosting means that you share one physical server with many other websites. The hosting company takes care of server administration and provides its customers with resources according to their hosting plans.
A virtual dedicated server (VDS) is based on virtualization technology that enables the creation of isolated virtual servers on one physical server. The client receives an independent environment with allocated resources and has more control over the operating system and server settings than in shared hosting.
In the case of VDS, there are several virtual servers on one physical server; these virtual servers work separately from each other at the virtual level.
Difference in resource allocation
With shared hosting, multiple websites share the resources of the physical server. The providers limit the usage of CPU, RAM, storage, and other resources so that one website does not consume too much of the server’s resources.
With VDS hosting, there is a specific amount of resources allocated to the virtual server. The allocation is determined depending on the hosting provider and the package.
Functionality and traffic
Shared hosting is suitable for many websites that have average workloads. Nevertheless, performance can become unpredictable due to high levels of traffic and certain things that use many resources.
A VDS allows for more separation and reduces the chances of performance discrepancies. The website can use resources allocated to it, rather than sharing them with hundreds of other websites.
But using VDS alone won’t make your website fast. There can still be issues with speed because of badly configured software, poor database queries, heavy media files, and insufficiently developed caching.
The advantage of VDS over shared hosting is that VDS provides more resources and controlling capabilities.
Management and customization
The main goal of shared hosting is to make things easier. The provider has to maintain most of the server environment, and the customers get very little access to the system settings.
When it comes to being in charge, a VDS is unbeatable. Depending on the service provider, you could be given access to the root level. You will be able to install software, manage services, choose an OS, configure security settings, and customize your server environment as you see fit.
The kind of flexibility that a VDS offers can be very helpful for developers and companies running particular applications. However, it also means more responsibilities. A VDS user will have to deal with software installation, security settings, updates, monitoring, backups, etc.
Security and isolation
Shared hosting implies that many websites are placed on the same server. Even though service providers make separations between clients through account isolation and security settings, the environment is still shared.
When using VDS, you can count on a much more reliable level of isolation because every user has its own virtual server to work with.
Nonetheless, being isolated still does not remove the expectation of having the security responsibilities. A virtual dedicated server with an improperly configured virtualization layer will be vulnerable even if the virtualization layer is functioning as it should. Firewall rules, software updates, access controls, strong authentication mechanisms, and regular backups are still necessary.
Scalability
While shared hosting services are able to be progressively upgraded as additional resources may be needed, there can be limits to available configurations.
In most cases, a virtual dedicated server enables much better scalability because resources are normally increased as the website expands depending on its requirements and the provider itself.
For instance, a website may start off with a much smaller amount of RAM and CPU resources at the beginning and then gradually migrate to a much larger virtual dedicated server with a higher level of visitors.
The process of upgrading may vary between providers, so it is beneficial to check the ability to scale the resources without complicated migration.
Cost and management
Shared hosting is generally cheaper because the price of physical support is split among many customers. Therefore, this option is recommended for websites that do not require much resources or server access.
Nonetheless, isolation does not mean eliminating the security obligations. A badly configured VDS can be susceptible, although the virtualization layer is secured; hence, the firewall rules, software updates, and access restrictions, along with having a strong proof system and regular backups, very much remain essential.
Conclusion
The fundamental distinction between shared hosting and virtual dedicated servers lies in the trade-off between control and simplicity. Shared hosting minimizes the handling of server management and costs by combining many different websites under one hosting plan.
Meanwhile, virtual dedicated servers provide you with a dedicated VPS that can allocate more resources and control over the website configuration. Such services are usually expensive, though, and require more management effort.
If your site is outgrowing the resources or configuration capabilities of the shared hosting plan, you need to consider moving to virtual private servers rather than investing in a physical server.