When choosing a web hosting plan, it’s natural to look for the best features and fit for your business. VPS hosting is undoubtedly the best hosting out there, with similar characteristics to dedicated server hosting but at a lower cost than that.
Thus if your website has surpassed the shared hosting phase and wants an upgrade for its growing needs, it’s only logical to switch to a VPS hosting plan in the UK. However, looking at some critical features is essential to choose the best VPS hosting for your website.
So, today we will look at some essential features to look at in a VPS hosting plan before buying an ideal fit for your business’s successful growth and stability.
What is VPS Hosting?
Before moving on to its essential features, let’s first understand what VPS hosting is and how it works.
It is a robust and flexible web hosting solution that fills the gap between shared hosting and dedicated servers. VPS hosting operates on the principle of virtualization, where a physical server is split into multiple virtual compartments, each acting as an independent server environment.
This segregation ensures that resources like CPU, RAM, and disk space are allocated exclusively to each virtual server, preventing one user’s heavy traffic from affecting others. Basically, it mimics the functionality of a dedicated server but at a fraction of the cost.
This versatility empowers businesses to handle surges in website traffic and accommodate future growth effortlessly.
Furthermore, as VPS hosting remains independent of other users, it provides enhanced security, reducing the risk of data breaches or performance bottlenecks that can arise in shared hosting environments.
Features To Look At Before Buying a VPS Hosting Plan
As much as it is important to switch to a VPS hosting for your growing website needs, it’s also crucial to look at some key factors while choosing a vps hosting plan that meets your requirements in the long run. Let’s look at some features below:
Virtualization Technology
Virtualization is the primary requirement to look for when selecting a VPS hosting plan. However, understanding the virtualization technology used is also crucial.
Many of the leading providers employ advanced technologies like KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) or OpenVZ to create isolated virtual environments, ensuring enhanced security and resource allocation.
KVM, for instance, enables true hardware virtualization, offering dedicated resources to each virtual server, while OpenVZ employs container-based virtualization, sharing the host’s kernel to optimize resource efficiency.
Scalability Options
The most popular requirement is scaling your resources in parallel to your website performance. As your online presence grows, your hosting needs also evolve.
Look for a VPS hosting plan that offers easy scalability, allowing you to upgrade resources like CPU, RAM, and storage without any service interruptions. This ensures your website can effortlessly adjust the time of increased traffic and performance demands, supporting your business expansion.
Control Panel
A user-friendly and feature-rich control panel is essential for efficient server management. Popular control panels like cPanel or Plesk provide a graphical interface to simplify tasks like website deployment, database management, and email configuration, making it much simpler for both beginners and experienced users to manage their VPS hosting environment.
Root Access
Root access is a fundamental part of VPS hosting that grants you complete managerial control over your virtual server. It allows you to fine-tune any configurations that you may like for your website.
With root access, you have the freedom to install custom software, tweak server settings, and manage security configurations according to your specific requirements.
Server Locations
For optimal website performance, consider the geographical location of the hosting provider’s data centres.
If your target audience primarily resides in the UK, choosing a VPS hosting provider with data centres in the UK will minimize latency and ensure faster loading times for your website.
Resource Allocation: Review the resource allocation offered by the VPS hosting plan. Adequate CPU cores, RAM, and storage are essential to ensure your website runs seamlessly and efficiently, even during traffic spikes.
Uptime Guarantee: Look for a VPS hosting provider that offers a robust uptime guarantee, ideally 99.9% or higher. A reliable uptime ensures that your website remains accessible to visitors around the clock, minimizing potential revenue loss and maximizing user satisfaction.
Customer Support: Opt for a VPS hosting provider with responsive and knowledgeable customer support. 24/7 availability via various channels like live chat, email, and phone ensures prompt assistance whenever you encounter technical issues or have queries.
Security Features: Website security is paramount in the digital landscape. Check for essential security features such as firewalls, DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and regular backups. A secure hosting environment shields your website from potential cyber threats and data loss.
Reviews and Reputation: Lastly, before finalizing your VPS hosting plan, read customer reviews and assess the provider’s reputation. Authentic feedback from existing users can offer insights into the hosting company’s performance, customer service, and overall reliability.
To Conclude
Choosing the right VPS hosting plan can simplify your life and help you take your business to the right path of growth. Sure, VPS hosting offers much more than shared hosting, but one still needs to choose the one with the most reliable and scalable features.
If you look at the above sketched ten key features, you can make an informed and right decision that aligns with your website’s needs, ensuring a seamless and rewarding hosting experience for your UK-based audience.
