Windows VPS Server Hosting

Windows VPS server hosting services are available from a large number of web hosting providers and are designed to offer those who require a Windows dedicated hosting environment at a low cost the web hosting service which they require without having to spend a large amount of a Windows dedicated server to meet their requirements. Windows web hosting services are generally aimed at businesses and individuals who have large web hosting budgets and this is evident with the cost of your average Windows web hosting service; however, you should only really use a Windows VPS server if you are able to justify the cost of Windows web hosting through your requirements. Most web hosting providers can offer you the choice between Windows Server 2003 VPS server hosting and Windows Server 2008 hosting; your choice of Windows operating system can greatly influence what you are able to use your Windows VPS server for as well as which features you have access to. Your choice of Windows operating system will also influence which Windows VPS server hosting platform you are able to make use of; most web hosting providers use the Virtuozzo platform to enable them to offer Windows Server 2003 hosting services, whilst Hyper-V is the platform of choice for web hosting providers who wish to offer Windows Server 2008 VPS server hosting services. A Windows VPS server will never be able to outperform a Linux VPS server which can be a let down for some people since it can mean that Linux VPS server hosting is better value for money than Windows VPS server hosting; however, if you are using a Windows VPS server then the likelihood is going to be that you have a distinct need for a Windows web hosting service - i.e. you may need to make use of Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server databases.

If you wish to make the most of your Windows VPS server then you can consider choosing a web hosting control panel to go with it, and in most situations you should be offered the choice between Plesk and DotNetPanel; both are popular Windows web hosting control panels and can offer you the features that you will need if you wish to manage your Windows VPS server effectively using a web interface. Windows VPS servers can also be managed in the same way that you can manage a Windows dedicated server - via Remote Desktop; this will allow you to access the GUI of your Windows VPS server fully allowing you to carry out the full range of Windows VPS server administrative tasks.

What are the advantages of using Windows VPS server hosting?

There can be many advantages to using a Windows VPS server hosting service if you are looking to upgrade from your existing Windows shared hosting package or are a power user and require a Windows VPS server from the outset in order for your requirements to be met. The main advantage of using a Windows VPS server is going to be the dedicated hosting environment which your VPS server will be able to offer you simply because it means you will be able to achieve a lot more with your VPS server, and you will have full access to your dedicated hosting environment regardless of the specification of your Windows VPS server; by having your own dedicated hosting environment you are able to install any applications of your choice on your VPS server to help improve your overall web hosting experience which will allow you to customize it to a level which will cater your requirements perfectly. You will have direct administrator access to your Windows VPS server which will allow you to make any modifications you see as fit for purpose since you will have full access to the GUI of your Windows VPS server using the Remote Desktop console which is provided as standard with the Windows desktop operating system; with a Linux server you will need to know the relevant commands if you wish to manage your server effectively over SSH, whereas with a Windows VPS server you are presented with a simple and easy to use GUI which you will be familiar with to an extent. A Windows VPS server will also be able to offer you performance at a good price which is what you want when using a dedicated web hosting service, and at the end of the day one of the main reasons for you to consider Windows VPS server hosting should be an increased level of performance; however, it is important to note that the performance of a Windows VPS server will never be able to meet that of a Windows dedicated server. In summary, the main advantages of Windows VPS server hosting include:

  • Dedicated hosting environment - a dedicated hosting environment will be able to offer you many advantages if you wish to take your website to the next level by offering more services which may require the need to hold personal data on your Windows VPS server - a dedicated hosting environment is offered with any VPS server or dedicated server and allows you to ensure that your hosting environment will be able to function without being affected in any way by the other VPS servers that are hosted on the same node as yours - a dedicated hosting environment overall can offer you higher levels of uptime and security which you are going to want when using a Windows VPS server hosting service
  • Remote Desktop access - with a Windows VPS server you will be provided with Remote Desktop access to the Windows GUI of your VPS server which means that managing your Windows VPS server is something that can be done very easily - the Remote Desktop client is included by default with the Windows Desktop operating system whilst a Mac version if available for download from the Microsoft website meaning that regardless of the operating system that you are using, you will still be able to manage your Windows VPS server effectively - Remote Desktop Access is a unique feature to Windows VPS server hosting services since the management of a Linux VPS server can be quite complicated when you consider the fact that you need to be sure of how to use SSH
  • Performance - a Windows VPS server will be able to offer you a high level of performance for a reasonable price if you purchase your web hosting services from the right web hosting provider for your requirements - the main reason for most people upgrading to Windows VPS server hosting from Windows shared hosting or Windows reseller hosting is for the notable increase in performance which is going to benefit anyone in the long term - as a Windows VPS server user you will find that an increase in performance will be able to offer you other advantages such as an increase in uptime which is something that will help you if you wish to build up a strong group of returning visitors to your website.

The advantages of Windows VPS server hosting make a Windows VPS server a worthwhile upgrade if you are currently using a Windows shared hosting package and feel that you need something which will help to boost your website further by enhancing the features you can include.

What are the disadvantages of Windows VPS server hosting?

Depending on what you are going to be using your Windows VPS server for, the likelihood is that some point down the line you are going to experience the disadvantages of using a Windows VPS server hosting service - even if you try to avoid them. The main disadvantage of using Windows VPS server hosting is the cost of your VPS server, and it is important to take into consideration that Windows web hosting services are always going to be more expensive than their Linux counterparts meaning that you should only consider Windows web hosting services if you have a distinct need for a Windows web hosting package; the main reason for a Windows VPS server being so expensive is that web hosting providers need to factor in the cost of the operating system since Windows is a commercial product whereas Linux is an open source operating system meaning that Linux VPS servers will always be cheaper. A Windows VPS server may not be effective at meeting your requirements in some cases since some people will generally choose a Windows VPS server since they think it will be easier to manage when in fact a Linux VPS server will be able to meet their requirements much more effectively at a much lower price; if you simply wish to host a website which has been developed using PHP and MySQL then you should consider a Linux VPS server for your requirements and should only consider a Windows VPS server if your website has been developed using either classic ASP or ASP.NET. Finally, the management of a Windows VPS server can be off-putting to some since you need to have a good level of knowledge and experience if you wish to do a proper job with managing your Windows VPS server since otherwise you may find that you change something which could ultimately damage your Windows VPS server; if you feel that no other form of web hosting will be able to meet your requirements properly but are unable to manage a Windows VPS server correctly then you can always consider managed Windows VPS server hosting in order for your requirements to be met. In summary, the main disadvantages of Windows VPS server hosting include:

  • Price - regardless of the form of web hosting which you choose to use, Windows web hosting services are always going to be more expensive than their Linux counterparts since Linux is open source and free to use whereas Windows is a commercial product which has to be purchased - Windows VPS server hosting services are generally aimed at businesses and individuals who are able to justify the cost of a Windows VPS server, and in short if you have a distinct need for a Windows VPS server then you should have no problem with justifying the cost of your server - however, if you shop around then you should be able to find a good deal on a Windows VPS server that can meet your requirements appropriately
  • Not always needed - a Windows VPS server isn’t always required by some people and in some cases you do find those who have ended up with a Windows VPS server when in fact a Linux VPS server will probably do a better job at meeting their requirements - you should evaluate your requirements before purchasing any web hosting service to make sure that you are able to choose the right web hosting package for your needs since this will prevent you from over spending and receiving something which is too much for your requirements but it will also stop you from choosing a web hosting package which can’t offer you the resources which you will require
  • Server management - if you wish to be able to manage a Windows VPS server properly then you will need to have a lot of knowledge and experience if you wish to do so and at the end of the day if you don’t manage your Windows VPS server properly then you may end up changing a feature or setting which could then cause you some problems - although you will be provided with Remote Desktop access to your Windows VPS server in order to allow you to manage it properly, you will need to know how to navigate your way around the Windows GUI so that you are able to make the most of the features which the Windows operating system can offer you in a server hosting environment - if you feel that managing your Windows VPS server is going to be a problem then a large majority of web hosting providers are able to offer managed Windows VPS server hosting services.

The disadvantages of Windows VPS server hosting show that you should only consider a Windows VPS server for your requirements if you are able to justify the cost of doing so and have a distinct need for a Windows web hosting package.

In conclusion, Windows VPS server hosting services are able to offer Windows web developers the testing environment that they require and those who have websites that have been developed using classic ASP and ASP.NET the dedicated hosting environment which they require for a price which is more than likely to suit their requirements. Windows VPS servers are offered by a large number of web hosting providers with some offering Windows Server 2003 VPS servers whilst others can offer more up-to-date Windows Server 2008 VPS servers meaning that there is a wide array of choice.