There are numerous Linux VPS hosting plans available on the internet, but determining which one is best for you is dependent on a number of factors. For starters, you’ll need to consider if you’re comfortable enough with Linux to set up the entire server yourself, in which case you’ll want to use an unmanaged VPS or a dedicated server. I’ll offer you a general summary for your consideration, and then I’ll provide some instances for you to consider adding to your shopping list.
A shared server can suffice if all you need is somewhere to host a simple website. If you want to run a very busy, high-traffic website with a MySQL backend, however, you’ll need a VPS or even a fully dedicated server.
Shared Hosting
To begin this purchasing guide, Linux shared hosting is exactly what it sounds like: you share your server with a lot of other people and websites. The biggest advantage of shared hosting is that it can be obtained for a very low cost – or even for free – however I do not recommend utilising a free host because a lot can go wrong with your website overnight.
The primary disadvantage of shared hosting is that all of your resources are shared with dozens, if not hundreds, of other people. This means that if someone is using a lot of SQL connections, your website will take a couple of seconds longer to load when there is a lot of traffic. Hostgator and justhost are two excellent instances of Linux shared hosting services.
Linux VPS Hosting
VPS hosting is frequently regarded as a middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a private server with administrative or root access that operates on a shared host system with other VPSs. A VPS is more powerful than a shared hosting server, and you can usually run other services like IRC or even a small game server on it.
It’s crucial to note that because it’s merely a virtual server, it won’t be able to handle large databases or websites because you’ll still be sharing your internet connection with others. However, you now have a set of resources to use on your server. VPSs are very useful for application developers and testers. I would personally recommend Bitfolk (who I presently host my websites with; set your referral to “chatify” if you would like to sign up) if you want a UK setup from a pleasant administrator.
Linux Dedicated Hosting Services
The granddaddy of all hosting packages is dedicated hosting. It is quite costly, but if you have a pressing need for it, it is well worth the investment. Dedicated hosting is frequently required for large projects and websites that have a lot of media and traffic and would suffer considerably on a VPS or shared server. Casbay offers managed dedicated servers, however they are costly and require a huge budget than VPS server or shared server. If you have resource-intensive services running, such as a huge IRC network or a highly active game server – basically anything that is going to rely on the server a lot – dedicated servers are a necessary.
Summary
Hopefully, after reading this post, you have a better understanding of which Linux hosting plan is suitable for you. If you’re just getting started, shared hosting is always the cheapest and best alternative. You’ll be able to see when your site has grown too large, and you can then consider upgrading.
Of course, there are many more hosts than those listed here, and I recommend that you read other blog posts to help you decide which host (once you’ve decided on the hosting type) is best for your needs. Feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or simply wish to ask a question.