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What is virtual private servers (VPS) hosting?

A virtual private server (VPS) is a dedicated server hosted on a shared machine. It is a low cost way of getting most of the advantages of having a dedicated server (root access, customizable setup and installation of your own software), as well as the advantages of shared hosting (managed and software updates with technical support).

Virtual private servers fill the gap between shared web hosting and dedicated hosting.

Note: some web hosts refer to virtual private servers as virtual dedicated servers.

Unlike a shared hosting server, a virtual private server runs on its own server operating system software. This runs inside an separate file directory which allows a (VPS) to be completely isolated from the actions of the other users.

The advantages of virtual private servers hosting

• You get root access and customizable setup and installation of your own software.
• Your host is responsible for maintaining the server and updating the software on it (not your custom software).
• They are more secure than shared hosting.
• If another user overloads or crashes their virtual server, only their server will be affected, not yours.
• Depending on the plan, you can host as many web sites and have as many MySQL databases and POP3 mailing addresses as you like.

The disadvantages of virtual private servers hosting

• You need to have more technical knowledge than with shared hosting.
• The cost is usually higher than for shared hosting.