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View Full Version : Switching from Shared Hosting to VPS, Pros, Cons



Harold Mansfield
03-19-2010, 03:57 PM
I'm finally upgrading my hosting from shared, although it was a pretty big shared account as far as they go, to VPS.

I don't know much about the difference between the 2, when I upgraded VPS obviously seemed better and the price wasn't bad, but how much different is it ?

All I know is

With [hosting company] Virtual Private Server, each VPS has its own independent operating system with itīs own web server, mail server, and independent software instances.

Will I have the same control or more?
Will I have too much control ?
Will my sties load faster ?

What have been your experiences, those of you that have a VPS account?

vangogh
03-19-2010, 06:51 PM
I made the move to VPS about a year ago. Other than the price there are a few differences. First you're now sharing the server with less sites. You have a bigger piece of the overall server. That's the main reason things are loading faster. You're not competing with as many sites for the same processing power.

You do have more control over your sites, but you also have more responsibility for managing them. A VPS moved one leg up the ladder toward being responsible for 100% of the server. For example before when you wanted to set up a new site you signed up for a hosting account and the company set everything up for you and sent you an email. Now you get to do the set up. More work for you, but it also means you have more control. Not happy with 5 GB of space? Change it so you have 10 GB? Want to be allowed more than 3 databases? No problem. You might already have had unlimited both with your last host (in theory, not reality), but I think you get the idea.

Before you had to learn how to use a control panel for each site. Now you have another control panel that manages all the sites plus the same control panel you had for each site.

I'm not sure what's too much control, though you probably now have more access to things that could really break all your sites and again if you do you can't blame your web host. As long as you take reasonable care though you should be fine.

I pay a little extra for my hosting company (Liquid Web) to take on some of the management for me. They monitor things are there for me when I need help.
The main thing though is you're sharing the server with less sites in exchange for taking on a little more responsibility.

After switching I'll never go back to shared hosting as as soon as I can justify the expense I'll move up to dedicated hosting.

seolman
03-19-2010, 10:37 PM
You will no doubt find you "grow into" the VPS and as you see the additional freedom it gives you along with the faster page loads it will eventually whet your appetite for a dedicated server.

We have several VPS's and a dedicated server. In some cases the VPS servers limit us in what software we can load for specific apps. When you control the server you can really start to do a lot more varied applications and play with new types of software (if that is what your business requires).

billbenson
03-19-2010, 10:39 PM
I sent you a pm on hosting you might find interesting eborg.

vangogh
03-20-2010, 07:45 PM
Who's the bug-eyed stranger in our midst? I have a vague recollection of that face, but it is a bit vague.

How have you been Dave?

seolman
03-21-2010, 04:39 PM
Hi Steve,

Doing well thanks! Been buried at work...

Yes I decided I better keep at least one of these eyes on the SBF..:D

vangogh
03-21-2010, 11:45 PM
We've missed you. I've been wondering where you had been. I assumed busy with work, which is a good reason not to spend as much time here.

seolman
03-22-2010, 10:09 AM
Yeah...long story (as usual) but will do my best to hang out here a bit more often. I love the great advice given by the regulars and I feel sorry for the owner who has only one ear...

vangogh
03-22-2010, 10:35 AM
Sorry I couldn't hear that last bit :)

Harold Mansfield
04-12-2010, 10:23 AM
Well after a couple of weeks on the VPS, I do really like it and I have noticed faster load times.
I can see myself going Dedicated when business requires it no problem.
Interesting benefit, the customer service that I have been getting from my hosting company has been outstanding since the switch.

The phone support has been a real pleasure. I am pleasantly surprised.
Some of that may also be that I know more than I did 3 years ago. Now when I need to call, most times I know what is going on, or what I need and it takes seconds.
as opposed to calling them with "I don't know what is happening but.."

All in all a very positive experience.

vangogh
04-12-2010, 10:46 AM
That's how I've felt since moving from shared to VPS too. I'll eventually move to dedicated hosting when I can better justify the costs.

Who did you go with for the VPS?

Harold Mansfield
04-12-2010, 12:52 PM
I've been with Web Air since the beginning and except for a few isolated incidents, most of which were my fault, I see no reason to move all of my sites anywhere else.
I am pretty happy with them.

billbenson
04-12-2010, 11:17 PM
Its not like I actually do this, but I think having two hosts is a good idea. If something happens, you already are set up and have a feel for host 2. Should make a cutover of a bunch of sites fast.

Harold Mansfield
05-27-2010, 06:10 PM
Well, looks like VPS was short lived. I'm upgrading to Dedicated Server next week.
I didn't think that I would be upgrading this soon, but I kind of don't have a choice. Kinda sucks, I wasn't really ready to spend the money yet, Oh well.

Harold Mansfield
06-04-2010, 02:01 PM
Well as they say in the mafia movies, "It's done". just got everything over to a dedicated server and the difference is amazing!
I think once I go through and clean up some of my installations that I'm not using, it will be even better.

I haven't checked every single site yet, but the main ones are loading with purpose. Snappy even.

Sure, I doubled my hosting bill, but it is worth every single penny.
I feel like I can do what ever I want now.

Pretty happy about it :)

vangogh
06-04-2010, 04:12 PM
Cool. I realize you just moved, but are you noticing any difference in managing the server as compared to the VPS?

Harold Mansfield
06-04-2010, 04:36 PM
Yeah, there a lot more controls and settings that I didn't have before and don't have any idea what they are for.

But it seems that lately every time I say that, a couple of months later I'm talking about it like it's old hat.

It's not overwhelming because I can call 24/7 tech support just as always to get something done, so I guess it's considered "Managed Dedicated Hosting" since they still run the thing. I don't plan on doing too much exploration out of what I have normally done...at least not at first.

I gotta tell you, it feels pretty grown up to think that your stuff is not on a cluster with other people's sites...and the speed. It's really nice. I can't imagine what it will be like to upgrade the RAM.

vangogh
06-04-2010, 07:55 PM
Thanks for the info. At some point I'll move up to a dedicated server. I don't think I need one just yet, but I'm getting closer.

With me and server I know just enough to be dangerous so I definitely would want that 24/7 support. I'm constantly asking questions now with my VPS.

Guessing here, but do you have WHM as the server control panel? I'm reasonably comfortable working in that. Still plenty I don't know in regards to servers and hosting, but little by little I'm getting more comfortable with them.

Harold Mansfield
06-04-2010, 08:07 PM
Thanks for the info. At some point I'll move up to a dedicated server. I don't think I need one just yet, but I'm getting closer.

With me and server I know just enough to be dangerous so I definitely would want that 24/7 support. I'm constantly asking questions now with my VPS.

Guessing here, but do you have WHM as the server control panel? I'm reasonably comfortable working in that. Still plenty I don't know in regards to servers and hosting, but little by little I'm getting more comfortable with them.

I have no idea what WHM is, so I don't know if I have it or not. My host has their own control panel set up, so I am going to assume that it is not.

I definitely don't know enough to be dangerous when it comes to servers, just the opposite, what I know is dangerous.

Harold Mansfield
06-04-2010, 08:32 PM
I will add this..since I have been testing things today..it is a world of difference.
Just navigating around the back end is just a pleasure and plug ins that I thought were buggy and slow, are now as smooth as silk.

The speed is just...I can't say enough, I actually teared up earlier..it's just marvelous.
Once you go this direction, you will never ever be able to go back.
It's like butter.

This is the way Wordpress is supposed to run.

vangogh
06-04-2010, 10:14 PM
WHM stands for WebHost Manager (http://www.ivhosting.com/webhostman/). It's usually associated with cPanel and basically is cPanel, but a level up. Instead of managing one account you manage all your different hosting accounts. You can set up how much space and bandwidth each new account gets, etc.

I was hoping the previous link would have some images, but I didn't see any. Here's a site offering WHM tutorials (http://www.webhostingbuzz.com/web-host-manager-whm-video-tutorials.php). If you click to watch any of the videos you'll see what it looks like.

Sounds like you have a custom control panel though your host.

With the speed stuff it's because now it's only your sites on the server. You don't have to deal with another site on the server taking up too much of the resources slowing you down. Plus from what I can tell most hosts will treat their higher end customers better.

Harold Mansfield
06-04-2010, 11:28 PM
Plus from what I can tell most hosts will treat their higher end customers better.

Yeah,I already noticed that. I now have direct extensions to get to my own tech and account manager.
Even got a phone call to check up on how everything is running, as opposed to an email.

Big difference compared to when I had a shared account.