VPS Hosting: cloud or traditional?

Robert O'Sullivan | May 19, 2022

9 min read

Every business needs a website, and every website needs hosting. Choosing hosting used to be easier as there were fewer options. But hosting technology has quickly advanced and now there are many factors to consider when deciding on a suitable plan. No business wants to overspend or be stuck with a hosting deal that could call for disruptive changes before too long.

All too often, organizations outgrow Shared Hosting plans as growth leads to increasing demands, and VPS Hosting seems to be an obvious next step. But others see the various benefits of VPS right from day one, so they can sidestep the hassle of migrating their hosting service. But with VPS and cloud hosting available to you, the most important question should really be: which type of VPS hosting will work best for you?

What is VPS hosting?

VPS stands for ‘Virtual Private Server’, where one physical server is divided into a series of separate VPS servers through the use of virtualization software. Each virtual machine (VM) has its own resources and isolated dedicated server environment, but they are still hosted by the same parent server. This option does not offer complete ownership of a server as you get with Dedicated Hosting, but it does give you more control and independence in terms of the choice of operating system (OS) and software than a shared one.

A popular choice that sits somewhere between dedicated server hosting and shared hosting, VPS Hosting can meet many requirements and go beyond simple website hosting. But after you have settled on VPS, there is the additional consideration as to the type of virtual private server that will work best for you. Do you want your VPS hosting to be powered by a traditional server in a physical machine, or a network of interconnected servers?

Before making the final decision we recommend you review and take certain criteria into account. Think about your budget, the complexity of your project, and the level of technical expertise and ability available to you. With these in mind, let’s take a closer look at the options.

Traditional VPS hosting

VPS hosting uses the original methods of hosting, with a server located on a physical machine. The hosting provider divides this into different instances through the process of virtualization, and each user is allocated a certain amount of resources. These may include CPU, RAM, and storage. Based on our VPS Hosting selection, the benefits and drawbacks can be balanced in the following way.

Traditional VPS pros

Trusted hardware: With Cloud hosting there will always be uncertainty over the hardware used, and this can affect performance. But when you have your own server you will know everything about the specifications and capabilities of your server. At Namecheap, we use the latest Intel and AMD CPUs as well as new generation SSD NVMe Drives.
Faster interaction with the disk: In addition to extra familiarity with your hardware, having the latest server technologies will bring higher disk performance. By adding this to your local storage, you will attain higher speed, which is not possible with the distributed file storage technologies used with cloud hosting.
Same resources at attractive prices: With fixed prices for your subscription, there will be no unpleasant surprises at the end of your billing period.
Easy migration: This is easy compared with the complexity of migrating from the cloud. cPanel migrations from our Shared Hosting or any other hosting provider to our VPS plans are completely free of charge and receive the help of our Support team.

Simplified Management: You can manage your VM with the SolusVM platform and easily control all your key actions. This includes setting a hostname or password, a system reboot, or changing your operating system (OS).

Traditional VPS cons

Limited Scalability: Although scalability is not possible to the same degree as with the cloud, you can still buy additional RAM and disk space when needed. You can use these resources immediately after payment and a system reboot.

Dependency on a single server: Virtualization means that hosting environments are isolated and providers are able to protect against security threats. However, in the event of a strong DDoS attack or global issues on the server, every VPS user could potentially be impacted.

When to choose traditional VPS

For those who are quite tech-savvy, working on low-to-medium complexity projects, or on a slightly limited budget, VPS from Namecheap will be an excellent option. We have a user-responsible management plan that is free of charge and offers control that includes root server access, so you can make settings and maintenance configurations to your preference.

If you are not so confident with your technical abilities but you still need to move up from a shared hosting plan, it may be a good idea to go for VPS with server management options. With our Basic Management option, we can set up the necessary software for monitoring and protecting your system, while our Complete Management option offers a server scanner and keeps backups on our side.

Traditional hosting is also a suitable choice if you have a solid understanding of how much you need in terms of server resources.

Cloud VPS Hosting

VPS hosting on the cloud differs from the traditional VPS model in that it doesn’t use a single physical server but instead employs an entire network of interconnected servers. VPS hosting cloud draws on network devices and virtualization technologies to distribute computing operations, storage, and networking across a set of physical devices.

Pros of Cloud VPS

Scalability – Due to the many servers that can be quickly accessed, cloud hosting offers organizations the chance to scale as this is needed. The level and price of scalability may also be written into the contract.

Pay for what you use – It is possible to pay for cloud hosting on an “as needs” basis, so your payment can be equal to the capacity and computing resources you use, even when that use is quite unpredictable.

High availability – The advantage of having many resources at your fingertips is that it won’t be a problem for you if a server goes down. This leaves you with excellent uptime rates. Different web hosting services, like email and file storage, can be simultaneously hosted on different servers.

Cons of Cloud VPS

Complex management – The advanced management tools may be difficult for users with limited technical abilities. There are the risks of incorrectly adjusting settings which can lead to websites being made inaccessible from the Internet, and adding resources that increase costs, though they may not be needed.

Higher costs – While this depends on the package and usage, cloud hosting is generally more expensive due to the complexity of the system, vendor management, and increased options for scalability. This means that your final bills can vary quite considerably.

The migration process – When migrating to a new hosting provider, the changed environment presents various challenges, which may mean configuring settings from square one. If you own a large project, such as software to support your load, it may even not be possible to migrate to another provider because of the contrast in environment specifications.

When to choose cloud VPS

Cloud VPS hosting may be a suitable choice for organizations with unpredictable resource usage or the potential for sudden spikes in website traffic. This kind of VPS hosting makes it easier to scale quickly, so it’s best suited to websites anticipating future changes in the amount of visitors they receive. These websites will also find billing to be more economical, relative to scalability.

For the same reason, cloud VPS could be a good choice for those that do not have strict limitations on their budgets, due to the variations that may take place by the day, month, or season.

Cloud VPS could also be the better choice for users that have the technical ability to manage the use of cloud applications and the migration process. Those that do not have these skills at their fingertips could find that the extra management required presents an avoidable challenge.

If the cons of cloud VPS outweigh the pros, then traditional VPS is probably the best option. At Namecheap, we offer two VPS plans with which you can customize RAM and Disk Space. To find out more about your options, check out our VPS hosting blog.

Keep it secure

With so many different types of cyber threats, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks that can cause irreparable damage to small businesses, it’s always important to make security a high priority.

Namecheap cloud hosting plans provide excellent security standards so your web projects are always protected. But even so, we recommend that you implement a clear and comprehensive security policy and follow best practices in IT security at all times.

This includes such things as:

Using antivirus, antispyware, and antimalware
Using password manager software
Classifying your sensitive data and limiting access to it
Monitoring your data and access to it
Using multifactor authentication (MFA)
Ensuring your employees are trained in security on an ongoing basis, and that they understand the importance of cybersecurity

There are just some of the security best practices that businesses should follow, but the list goes on. And with such disastrous potential consequences, we all need to be ready for anything.

Summary

Taking the final decision on your hosting solution is sometimes a bit tough. The future is never certain, and it could bring an influx of new customers that will call for a hosting plan that really packs a punch. Then again, you might not quite meet your goals and feel the need to downsize in order to stay within budget. Naturally, it’s important to carefully review your hosting needs and thoroughly research the best options before taking the plunge.

It’s always good to know that there are many excellent options to choose from, so find a Hosting plan today that will take your website to the next level.