There are endless ways you could use Virtual Private Servers. In our example, we’ll discuss the following five applications.
- Hosting
- E-Commerce
- Testing
- Game Server
- Email Server
Hosting
What we see quite often are web developers or designers who also host their client’s websites. Some go the route of reseller programs, but a virtual private server gives them the flexibility to run programs and applications that may not otherwise be available to them with reseller plans.
cPanel/WHM makes this so easy, as each site can be assigned its own cPanel account and be managed independently from other accounts on that server.
With enough accounts, the cost of the VPS can be recouped very quickly, and in many cases, these types of clients prefer to pay annually, which helps with initial cash flow outlays.
More often than not, in these types of arrangements, the client’s are not given cPanel access, as the web developer maintains everything on their end. Customer service calls tend to be more amicable as the client typically trusts their developer’s judgement.
Management is usually billed in a la carte segments or in blocked periods of labor-time.
E-Commerce
While e-commerce sites can be run on shared or reseller plans, a virtual private server gives businesses and organizations some options they may not have on those plans. First and foremost, you’ll need to determine if you need managed or unmanaged services. If you’re not server literate, then management of the server would be best left to a professional.
You’ll also need to determine the amount of resources you’ll require. If you’re running cPanel/WHM, they recommend at minimum 2GB of RAM. Hard drive space will depend on how large your site is currently and how much you project it growing. For optimum performance, we do recommend SSD over HDD drives. You’ll be soundly amazed at the performance improvement. In today’s environment, HDD drives are more often used for back up.
Another concern should be bandwidth and the network supporting your server. Port speeds are typically 1Gbps, but I’m still seeing 100Mbps on various sites. Shop around and ask for files to speed test your future provider’s network.
A major consideration when running revenue producing e-commerce websites is uptime. While most providers offer an uptime guarantee, that usually only involves issuing credits in cases involving downtime. Always read your prospective provider’s Terms of Service. It’s always better to be proactive rather than reactive.
Testing
It’s amazing how many virtual private servers are used for testing purposes, and are never put into production. Actually, it’s an extremely inexpensive tool on which to conduct research.
One way to use your VPS for testing would be to create a Chroot Environment. This would allow you to build, install and test software separate from your normal OS, or run 32-bit applications in a 64-bit environment. Why do that? Possibly to determine how applications would behave in a contaminated environment. There are countless possibilities.
Game Server
For game servers, you should be looking at a VPS with great CPU speed and outstanding latency. Once you start adding an appreciable number of players, you should opt for a dedicated server, but a virtual private server works well for small groups. One advantage of a VPS is that it can be easily upgraded to more vCores, RAM and disk space. Another key component for successful gaming is DDoS protection, as it seems game servers attract more than their fair share of cybercriminals and attacks.
Email Server
A lot of folks never pay a whole lot of attention to how email works, or how it gets from one computer to someone else on the other side of the country or world. The backside of email servers can get fairly complex, especially since there are so many safeguards in place to protect consumers from spammers and scammers.
You’ll have to understand the ins and outs of SMTP and IMAP and how to set up Postfix, Sendmail, Qmail or whatever you plan to use. Then there’s spam protection to deal with, so SpamAssassin would be good to know. Add in how to manage DNS entries, SPF and RBLs and you get the picture.
The plus side is that you’ll control your email, and while this won’t provide you total privacy, it will help.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY PROLIMEHOST
We’ve been in the web hosting industry for over a decade, helping hundreds of clients succeed in what they do best and that’s running their business. We specialize in Virtual Private Servers (VPS) and dedicated servers, with data centers in Los Angeles, Denver & Singapore.
VPS SERVICES: LIGHTNING FAST SSD VIRTUAL SERVERS
Our Virtual Private Servers all feature high performance Xeon processors and SSD storage in a RAID10 configuration to optimize your server’s performance, which dramatically enhances visitor experiences on your site.
That speed is backed by unparalleled 24/7 support, featuring both outstanding response AND resolution times to maximize your uptime.
Now is the time to join the ProlimeHost virtual private server revolution.
DEDICATED SERVERS: BACKED BY A 99.9% SLA NETWORK UPTIME GUARANTEE
We only use enterprise-class hardware in our dedicated servers and offer a four (4) hour hardware replacement. Throw in IPMI for remote management, support for public and private networks, free operating system (OS) re-installs, and SATA, SAS & SSD (including NVMe) storage. Call 1-877-477-9454 or contact us. For everything from gaming servers to cheap dedicated servers, we’re here to help.
ASIA OPTIMIZED SERVERS: IMPROVING CONNECTION SPEED AND QUALITY
Procuring an Asia optimized server improves the connection speed and quality between the server and the users in Asia or China. This can reduce latency, packet loss, jitter, and bandwidth issues that can affect the performance and reliability of the server and the applications hosted on it. For more information, please call 1-877-477-9454 or contact us
ProlimeHost specializes in dedicated servers, with data centers in Los Angeles, Utah and Denver. Call +1 877 477 9454 or email us at Sales@ProlimeHost.com. We’re here to help.
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