VPS or Web-hosting – which do I need?

Which package is right for me?

This all depends on what you want to do and what skills you have available. The quick and short answer is Websites = Web Hosting and Applications = VPS. This is a bit of an oversimplification. If your website includes some sort of customised back-end software or application, you will most likely need a VPS. On the other hand, if you need a website with some form of database-driven content, then a normal web-hosting package can accommodate that. At HOSTAFRICA, we have Solutions Architects that can assist you in your decision.

What knowledge do I need for Webhosting?

The great thing about our cPanel-driven web-hosting packages is that you need very little IT knowledge to set up a website. The cPanel framework also has a large support community. Any issue can be quickly solved by using Google and including the term “cpanel” in your search. cPanel also has great built-in tools to assist you with the basic tasks associated with creating and hosting a website. We even have an article to help you get started with cPanel. See our Super Simple Guide to cPanel for some great tips on using this tool. cPanel also serves as a source of many web-based software tools. These include Joomla, WordPress and Drupal as well as e-Commerce tools, blogging tools and many more very interesting and useful web-applications.

What do I need to know for VPS hosting?

For running your own Virtual Private Server, you need a bit more IT knowledge. You will be installing and configuring software, setting up user access and security and often configuring your own backup solution as well. A healthy understanding of IT concepts is needed, whether it be a Windows or a Linux VPS. If you do not have the knowledge yourself, make sure you have an IT person or Team on hand to assist you. Running a VPS with gaps in your knowledge leaves you open to server compromise (hacking) and abuse (mailbots, ransomware, bitcoin miners and more). This can have the effect of rendering your VPS unusable or blacklisted.

Bad management of a VPS is just as bad as bad management of any other business component. Your VPS should be treated as a valuable resource. Thus it deserves the same care and effort that the rest your business receives. With a VPS, you have full control over everything. As a result, you are free to install any software you need. Do not think that the average desktop application works as well on a server. Server applications are usually specially designed to enable multi-user access without over-usage of resources. Installing desktop software and giving multiple users access is often a sure recipe for failure. Doing this may cause your VPS to quickly run out of CPU or RAM.

In summary

When considering Cloud Hosting, do a proper needs analysis to determine which product is best suited to your business. Ensure that you have the resources to manage the product properly. This will result in trouble-free hosting and a good return on investment.

Happy Hosting!