Shared Web Hosting Versus Virtual Private Server(VPS) hosting: Pros and Cons

Those of you planning to set up an online enterprise or already have one, know that there are different types of web hosting plans out there. Out of these two of the most widely used web hosting types are Shared web hosting and VPS hosting. These web hosting services are targeted at different segments of customers designed to meet the needs and requirements of the web masters. Shared hosting service is popular with the small scale businesses looking for an cheap web hosting. Shared hosting is characterized by less data storage space, low bandwidth and affordable price. On the other hand VPS hosting is the perfect solution for companies that have outgrown the limits of shared web hosting. VPS web hosting. This hosting solution is designed with web businesses that rely on Heavy Traffic online business, websites presence and daily emails. VPS is a more compact web hosting service with a solid base and high level web hosting solution for mid-sized business and websites. Both the web hosting solutions have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. We decided to draw a comparison between the Shared and VPS hosting services.

Web Server OS and software application

Shared web hosting: Essentially shared web hosting servers are designed to accommodate several web hosting customers. They host a single operating system and software applications on that server that is shared by different customers.

VPS web hosting: The servers are unique complete operating system for that particular VPS server. All the other software application and add-on tools are specially installed for individual web hosting customers. VPS enables web hosts to host numerous on-line companies on a single, physical host server. With VPS you still share the same physical hard drive as other sites. However, each virtual server is kept isolated from its neighbors

Private Email Server & IP Address

Shared web hosting: For the start up companies running on budget shared web hosting offers a cheap solution. This is why there are a large number of shared web hosting user. They share the same email server and IP address.

VPS hosting: It provides a private email server for the individual customers and a unique IP address for the VPS server as well. Most of the large businesses require their emails coming from unique IP address. This allows the them to deliver the emails faster and spam filter quality gets higher as well.

Resources

Shared web hosting: In shared hosting the customers are restricted with resources and must share it with literally hundreds of other websites. Now all of these website compete with each other for the resources of the server.

VPS web hosting: Leasing a VPS allows you the ability to have more resources allocated to your websites. With VPS a set amount of memory, and hard drive space is allocated to the customer. This is especially important for websites that are resource intensive.

Customization

Shared web hosting: As there is a shared system there are no customization for operating system or software.

VPS hosting: Users can setup their required operating system and software. They can use their preferred version of PHP and MYSQL and have full root access to the partition.

Security Policy

Shared web hosting: Prime concern for shared web hosting is security. Shared web hosting server used by several customers and they share the same email and IP address, which makes it highly vulnerable. The email (POP/SMTP/IMAP/Web Mail) must be accessible through both secure and standard connections.

VPS hosting: It adopts a customized security policy.  This allows the user to control how the VPS is accessed and when. In VPS hosting the users access their email through a secure socket layer (SSL) connection. The system is more secured as it ensures that the logins and passwords are encrypted and it might prevent hackers from obtaining that information while in transit.

Anti-virus Scanning

Shared web hosting: They provide anti-virus solution to protect against hacking provides a email spam filter.

VPS hosting: The services provide individual on server anti-virus scans that ensures spams with viruses and malware will not affect the server.

Pricing

Shared web hosting: This is the cheapest web hosting solution with prices.

VPS hosting: Although not as low as shared hosting, price for VPS hosting is more affordable than dedicated server. This considerably reduces the expense required to get multiple resources and network by providing a physical server that is virtually partitioned.

Conclusion

Clearly, web hosting basically relies on the needs and requirements of the customers. VPS hosting is suggestible for sites with lot of interactivity - sales, information gathering, data transmission, etc. High-flown businesses need faster downloads and sales interaction to satisfy their customers and attract their potential customers. VPS can be a reliable service for them. However, there’s a large section of aspiring businessmen who wish to start business on the web from the scratch, but have a low budget. Shared web hosting provides them a platform to establish their website.