Shared web hosting, virtual private server (VPS) or dedicated server?

Most webmasters start with shared hosting when they start their website, but as it grows and the website becomes more popular the server just does not cut it any longer. The question then becomes do you upgrade to a full dedicated server, find better shared hosting or is there a way there in between. For many the answer is to select VPS web hosting (virtual private servers), which is usually a good choice for the site that has outgrown shared hosting but is not bringing in enough income to justify dedicated hosting.

With shared web hosting the hardware on the server is shared by many different clients, often hundreds of websites. It is more affordable than the other choices, but it means a trade off in terms of performance and customization.  If another website is hosted on the same server gets a lot of traffic and uses a lot of resources at the same time, then there will be less left for you.  If this is compared to rented office, you would be sharing all the resources, you would not even know if you had chair when you came in the morning.

VPS is the way to put multiple accounts on one server and splitting the server (CPU resources, memory, and hard drive space) so that all these accounts act like their own server. The owner has root access and can setup the server by the means that is suitable for the websites needs. On the down side you will have to have more knowledge running servers, even if you have managed VPS.

Being virtual means that a VPS can be modified and even rebooted remotely, without affecting the other VPS packages being hosted on the same server hardware. The configuration of the server can also be changed, the virtual machine can be copied with all configuration and setup on different server. If there is hardware failure it is there for very easy to move it to new location.

While a VPS server will still share the CPU resources on the server, a virtual private server will usually ensure access to the CPU so that heavy CPU loads from other users will not affect other VPS solutions on the same infrastructure.

Comparing this again with the rented office, you would be sharing your office but it would be divided and you would always have the access to what you paid for. You can even get bigger office added to your space without problems. Your get more privacy, configuration for slightly higher cost.

Dedicated servers are just like the name shows your own server, where you have the root access and can control it like you want. The dedicated server is yours to change however you wish. If you need some new service running on your server, you just install it.  You can think of this server as being just like the computer you have at your desk that you can modify according to your need, but on the if you make some errors it is also some thing you need to fix or get the right people to do so. Comparing this to the office space, you have now your own private office.

If you have just small website or few websites not with thousands of visitors every day the shared is the way to go.  If you need more customization the VPS would be better solution.  You can start of small and as it can be modified it is easy to grow with you.  If you need to be able to control the CPU load as well, you are better of going for the dedicated server, you have control that you can access the CPU when you need it.  Of course the comparison between VPS and dedicated server is more difficult and will greatly depend on the service the host is offering. VPS with good hardware and good access to the CPU is better with better than dedicated server with low-end  old hardware, single core CPU and single disk setup.  The VPS will also give you the flexibility of starting small and growing as your business grows.