VPS and dedicated server: find the differences

Online positioning of a company in today's world is an integral part of the success of any business. There are many hosting services offered in the market, but not every one can meet the growing needs. At first glance all the services seem similar, but on closer inspection the differences are obvious.
 
 

What is VPS

When ordering a VPS (Virtual Private Server), the user receives a virtual server. It's like your private apartment in an apartment building. You can install furniture and equipment as you see fit (OS and software). You do not worry about neighbors, because all such "apartments" are isolated. It is possible to exist in your own "territory" and do everything you can to make web projects work successfully.
 
VPS and VDS - let's eliminate the confusion of terms
Do you also believe that the terms VPS and VDS refer to different types of virtual servers? And you'd be wrong. It is believed that VPS is a virtualization of the operating system, and VDS is a hardware one. But this is just an attempt to make a distinction between two terms that mean the same thing - a dedicated virtual server on physical hardware. So it doesn't matter which term you prefer, VPS or VDS.
 
VPS work on the same principle and have the same functionality as physical servers. No limits on the number of hosted sites, databases, domains, ssh, ftp, email users. The administrator has 100% control over the files, can install applications and perform other operations, just as he would do it on a real server. The virtual server provides protection from DDoS-attacks and the possibility of data backup with a convenient frequency and archiving.
Best of all, the virtual server runs independently of other VPSs in your "apartment building". This means that a failure in someone does not affect the "neighbors" - that's how the hypervisor works. If other clients on the physical server are not using all of their resources, the capacity becomes available to you. If such resources are required on a regular basis - you can add them to your plan.
 

Advantages of VPS

• Flexible configurations. Memory, processor power, more administrative settings, choosing the operating system that suits your needs.
• Total control. You can reboot the virtual server without a provider, have root access to install complex software packages, and configure the operation yourself.
• Minimal restrictions. You can create and store as many databases, sites, and domain zones as you need, as long as you have enough resources.
• Backups. At any time, the client can create a VPS backup or restore a previously created one, as well as set up a scheduled backup.
• Stability. The state of the physical server hardware is controlled by technical support and the client does not have to worry about it, except for the need to create backups.
• Dedicated IP address. Your sites will not be blocked if other users are sanctioned.
• Complete independence. Although there can be multiple VPSs on the same physical server, they are completely isolated and do not affect each other's operation.
• Horizontal scaling capabilities. If your project is experiencing dramatic growth, but the available resources are not enough - you can add the necessary parameters or switch to another tariff plan.
• Fast deployment. If you need to get your project up and running here and now - it only takes a few minutes to get started.
• VPS tariff packages feature impressive performance that caters to the high demands of large businesses.
• Economy. There is no need to spend money on server maintenance: system administrator's salary and downtime caused by his illness.
• Qualified technical support is available around the clock. VPS hosting is cheaper than buying or renting a physical server. Plus, providers offer several pricing plans depending on the needs of clients.

 

Disadvantages of VPS

High cost compared to shared hosting.
There are also many tariff plans that allow you to find the best balance between allocated capacity and price.
Necessity of administration.
Even though you are "firing" a system administrator, some knowledge will still be needed. But thanks to the control panel, the task is simplified, and in case of difficulties, you can ask for help from technical support.
Shared disk space and network links.
Imagine living in an isolated apartment of an apartment building. Have you, too, experienced a water shut-off when your upstairs neighbor forgot to close the water faucet and flooded several floors? Some VPS users may create similar problems for "neighbors", but violators are instantly identified and punished, up to and including "eviction from apartments".
As you can see, the disadvantages of VPS are conditional and easily fixable.
 

When you should use VPS

Opt for a VPS if power and performance, proprietary software, customized solutions, and plans to expand your project are important to you.
 
 

What is a dedicated server

The hosting provider provides a physical server for rent ("hardware, computer"). This is a Dedicated Server, a completely "apartment building" in which the only tenant is you. You can install operating systems, modify the configuration and perform any technical manipulations at your discretion. This type of hosting is the most costly and is not suitable for everyone.
 

Advantages of a dedicated server

• Safety. Private server rental greatly reduces the possibility of unauthorized access to your information.
• Detachment. All server resources are available only to you, the working power of the equipment does not need to be shared with someone else.
• Stable work. Resources are difficult to 100% deplete, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum performance.
• Individuality. You can install the necessary software and make all the necessary settings yourself.

 

Disadvantages of dedicated server

There are only three of them and they're pretty significant. First, there's the high price tag. Second, the need for competencies in administration. For beginners without knowledge of technology, managing a dedicated server can be an impossible task. After all, it is also necessary to monitor the health of the "hardware", the same disks. Third, the difficulty in creating and deploying backups of the entire OS, and the inability to do so without an additional server. And this once again raises the cost of the server.
 

For which projects Dedicated Server is suitable, or three "Ifs"

A dedicated server is suitable for you if:

• your sites with high traffic volume and active users;
• you create difficult web applications or projects with high security requirements;
• you have system administrators;
• you have sufficient monetary resources.

In general, before deciding to use a Dedicated Server, it is worth carefully analyzing all factors and making sure that this choice fits your needs and capabilities.
 

Differences between VPS and dedicated server

A dedicated server can host a huge number of sites, files and databases without restriction - this is what makes it different from a VPS. It also has better scalability when you need to allocate large amounts of disk space, RAM, or CPU because all the capacity is available to just one client. In a VPS service, there may be restrictions in the resources allocated.
 

Differences in architecture

A dedicated server has an extremely simple architecture - it is a separate physical machine that is leased. In the case of VPS virtual servers, things are a bit more complicated. To divide an apartment building - a server - into separate rooms, virtualization technology is used. It provides a high level of privacy and independence to each VPS.
 

Difference in performance

VPS with minimal parameters is close to standard Shared hosting in terms of performance, but the VPS tenant fully manages the resources received, while on Shared they are allocated according to needs.
A dedicated server is a separate physical machine with its own resources. Unlike a VPS, you have full control over the hardware capacity of the "hardware". This provides better performance, stability and reliability. For projects with a high load, a dedicated server is suitable, as its performance is higher with other equal characteristics. All of the above is not relevant when comparing a VPS with a low-cost server, as the processor on the latter will be weaker.
 

Price comparison

VPS is an affordable alternative to dedicated servers. VPS hardware capacity may be lower, but this is offset by the flexibility, ease of use and low price. For example, in EuroHoster company the price for VPS services starts from 5€ per month, and for renting a dedicated server - from 40€ per month.
 

Summary

So, if you are looking for the most performance, stable and reliable web hosting, with high resources, then the choice should fall on a dedicated server. Virtual servers (VPS) are a suitable option for less requirements projects. They scale well and provide a high level of security.
 
Do you still have questions? Email us and we'll help you decide which one to choose!