Virtual server is currently the most popular solution offered by hosting companies. At the same time, it is the most frequently chosen option, especially for small and medium enterprises. This tool is definitely more efficient than shared hosting and, at the same time, cheaper than a dedicated server. The virtual server is the best solution for example for an online store or a website that regularly attracts more and more active users,
What exactly is a virtual server and how to choose it to meet the needs of your company ? The answers to these questions can be found in this article.
Virtual server – what is it?
To begin with, we should explain what a server actually is. To put it simply, it is a computer with high computing power permanently connected to the global Internet. Normally one puts e-mail boxes, website files and network services on a server. However, when you purchase a dedicated server service, you have one of the computers in the data center, constantly connected to the network for your exclusive use. On the other hand, virtual server emerges as a result of dividing a dedicated server into smaller parts, which is done through appropriate software. So when we talk about a virtual server, we mean only a separate fragment of the disk space of a physical server, with an access of the administrator for management and configuration applications.
What to look for when buying a server and how to adapt it to the company’s needs?
When choosing a virtual server service, you should first of all focus on stability and reliability of operation. These are the features for the security and performance of your website or online store. Therefore, one should choose a machine of a good quality. The one that will cope with many years of work in multiprocessing environments and guarantee not only efficiency but also availability. The type of virtualization is equally important, because it can restrict possibilities of adapting the server to the company’s needs.
Other parameters, such as the disk space, the speed or the available memory depend on the individual needs of the customer. Before making the final choice, it is worth to consider what kind of Internet activities the server will be used for and how much disk storage will be needed for it.
When running a blog that does not require a web portal or company website, the simplest virtual server option with 2 GB RAM, 40 GB disk space and 3 TB transfer is enough. For small online stores, a server with 4 GB RAM and 60 GB of space will be suitable. In turn, large stores should already invest in a service that guarantees at least 8 GB RAM and 80 GB of disk space.
The advantage of virtual servers is certainly the fact that by choosing this option, we do not have to buy the entire physical server. Instead, at much lower price we pay in a form of subscription a rental fee only for a fraction of it which will actually be used by us.