Affordable Virtual Private Server Hosting

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Cheap VPS Hosting

Curious about VPS Hosting? Want to know why our VPS hosting is more secure, and flexible than 'regular' shared virtual hosting? Discover how you can save hundreds of pounds on dedicated server hosting.

Parallels OpenVZ and Virtuozzo Containers

A Virtual Private Server runs on a host server (often referred to as the "hardware node"). The hardware node is then partitioned into "containers" or individual "environments" which are the virtual private servers. Each virtual server shares the host server's memory, CPU time, connection and other resources. Each VPS receives a guaranteed share of the server CPU, ram and network resulting in an environment which behaves just like a stand-alone server.

Each container can be booted and rebooted independently, each container user enjoying root shell access, independent users, IP addresses, memory, processes, files, applications, system libraries and configurations. The only downside to OS level containers is that the VPS root operator has no access to the kernel, and therefore to install specialist kernel modules (such as TUN/TAP) requires the co-operation of the hardware node administrator.

Virtual Environments

Virtual Private Servers bridge the gap between cheaper shared hosting and expensive physical dedicated server hosting. The typical VPS customers has usually exceeded the resources of shared hosting, but can't yet justify the expense of a full dedicated server. Or he requires a highly customised library or configuration, which his shared hosting provider is reluctant to undertake. Like established dedicated server rental a VPS will allow you to have full root access to the operating system, permitting a customised environment as if you had your own server as well as being secure against other users on the same hardware.

Virtual Dedicated Servers

Virtual Private Servers are also referred to as VDS (short for Virtual Dedicated Server) and "VE's" or Virtual Environments. The VPS's that most popular webhosts run are Parallels "Containers" which run with a single kernel resulting in less overall overhead. Parallels have taken a considerable share of the web hosting market, due to Virtuozzo's simplicity and ability to provide web hosts with a much higher hosting density. Virtuozzo also makes use of a templating system, to reduce the amount of stored data on a hardware node. One templated operating system, can be applied to hundreds of VPS instances, the only data needing to be stored in the container being user data, such as email, web files and databases.

Dynamic Dedicated Servers

Higher end VPS's are sometimes referred to as Dynamic Dedicated Servers or "DDS" or "Semi-Dedicated." This is a "heavier" VPS (can use more resources) and can scale to utilising most or all of the RAM, memory disc space and processes of the hardware node and seen as an alternative to flexible cheap, dedicated servers (the hardware node usually built of better components and employing RAID 10/SAN setup. Basically the hardware node is partitioned into much fewer "heavy" containers, for customers requiring, lower contention and more resources than standard VPS hosting can provide.

Application Uses of VPS

• Run a single or multiple websites
  You will be able to run as many websites as you wish to on your VPS, limited only by the resources available in your VPS plan.
• Become a hosting provider
  With a comprehensive control panel, like Plesk or cPanel you could start your own web hosting company. A virtual private server gives you the freedon to install the software of your choice.
• Primary or Secondary Mail or DNS Server
  You may already have a reseller plan or full dedicated server elsewhere, but what if this goes down for any period of time. A backup DNS or MX server will make your infrastructure more resilient, your domains will continue to resolve and mail won't bounce. You can install DNS and Mail services into your VPS, including Bind, Postfix, Qmail, Sendmail and more
• Personal Game Server
  Install games software into your VPS. Control panels such as Plesk and cPanel now have server support for games software such as Battlefield 1942, Counter Strike and more.

Virtual Server Containers perform exactly like a dedicated server, and has its own users, applications and processes, can be rebooted independently. Its has its own root/administrator access, users, IP addresses, memory, processes, files, applications, system libraries and configuration files.