What Is VPS Hosting

VPS hosting is a Virtual Private Server, and is a virtualized server. A VPS hosting environment mimics a dedicated server within a shared hosting environment. It is technically both shared hosting and dedicated hosting.

VPS Hosting is one of several types of web hosting accounts you can choose from to host your website online. To have a website on the internet, you need to have your website files on a web server. Setting up and managing a server can not only be expensive, but difficult too. Purchasing web hosting allows someone to rent space on a web server, making it easier for the average person to have host a website online because all they need to do is upload their site files (no server setup is needed on their part).

All three of these hosting account types are similar in the fact that they all give you a web server to run your website on. They vary in how they are setup, the features they offer, and the level of customization you can have with each one. Check out more information about our various VPS plans and features.

Why is VPS Hosting different than Shared and Dedicated

With our dedicated servers, you rent an entire server. This is optimal for people that have very high traffic to their websites or need to setup their server in a very specific way. Not everyone needs to have a fully dedicated web server however. If you're just getting started with your website, you can save quite a bit of money if you rent a small portion of the server. Shared hosting is when you share a portion of the server with other users rather than rent an entire server to yourself.

If you are considering a dedicated server and are unsure if it is right for you, perhaps you will need to get VPS hosting.
How does VPS Hosting Work?

The technology behind VPS hosting is similar to that of VMware or Virtual Box. These programs allow you to run several virtualized operating systems on one machine. For example, your desktop may be running Windows 7, but you can also run other operating systems such as Windows XP or Linux without needing to restart your computer.

Operating System Virtualization

Our VPS hosting envionments function in the same manner. While we have one physical server, we can run several different virtualized operating systems on that one server. Each virtualized operating system acts as if it was a dedicated server. This allows you to have all of the benefits of a dedicated server at a fraction of the cost.

InMotion Hosting uses Parallels Virtuozzo Containers in order to virtualize the Operative System. Each VPS hosting environment is referred to as a container, and the physical server each container is provisioned to is referred to as a node.

What are the benefits of VPS Hosting?

VPS hosting gives you the affordability of shared hosting while at the same time giving you more power and control like a dedicated server.
What are the benefits of VPS Hosting?

VPS hosting gives you the affordability of shared hosting while at the same time giving you more power and control like a dedicated server.

• Privacy : As you don't share your OS with anyone else, there are no other websites on your server that potentially have access to your files.
• Customization : With a VPS Server, you have your own Operating System. This also means that you have your own instances of all server applications such as Apache, PHP, and MySQL. If you need to have any of these services customized, you can make changes to suit the server to your needs.
• Control : If you're installing server applications that require a system restart, you can do so at any time. Even though technically you share a server with other VPS servers, your VPS server can be restarted without affecting anyone else.
• Dedicated Resources : On a VPS Server, you have dedicated amounts of RAM available to you at any time. Unlike shared hosting, there is no one else on your server that can use utilize all the RAM when you need it most!

VPS Server Management Options

Our VPS hosting platform offers a choice between two distinct management styles. Managed cPanel VPS Hosting includes Optimized Configurations for better performance, free cPanel/WHM license, and automatic backups for easier server management. Self-Managed VPS includes full root access, burstable RAM and CPUs, and a lower price for more control and speed.

VPS VS Cloud

Cloud Hosting vs VPS
When the time comes to choose your web host you’re probably going to have a ton of questions. Hosting can seem a little complicated. You have cloud hosting, shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated servers and you have dozens of hosting companies to choose from as well.

Yikes! With this post, we hope to reduce a little bit of that confusion and narrow in on two different types of hosting: cloud hosting and VPS hosting. As you’ll soon learn, each of these types come with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Keep reading to learn more about cloud hosting vs. VPS, so you can determine which one will be the best fit for your website.

What Is VPS Hosting?
VPS servers are also known as Virtual Private Servers. This style of hosting is essentially one physical server, which is then divided into several smaller virtual servers. Each one of these virtual servers acts as its own dedicated server environment.

Since you have your own dedicated section of the server, you have your own set of allocated resources and can customize and configure your server partition exactly the way you want. Plus, there’s no exchange of data or file access between accounts on the VPS server.

However, they can tend to be less reliable because if one physical server fails, then every VPS using that server fails as well. Their performance can also vary if one site happens to be hogging resources on the physical server.

Who Should Use VPS Hosting?
Virtual Private Server hosting is great for users looking for more control over their website, with the technical skills to set up a customized environment.

Pros and Cons of VPS Hosting
A VPS can be a great choice for website users who have outgrown their shared hosting plan. However, it’s not perfect for every kind of website out there. Below we look at the pros and cons of VPS hosting, so you can make an educated decision.

VPS can be heavily customized. They’re similar to a dedicated server in that you have root access to the server and have control over the OS and server software. However, there may be some limits imposed due to the physical server configuration.

VPS also tends to have very high performance, as you’re guaranteed a certain amount of server resources. However, you’ll probably be limited to an extent by the physical machine. Plus, there’s the chance your performance can be affected by other sites using the same physical machine, or when you push up against your plan limits.

A VPS isn’t the most scalable solution. Sure, you’re guaranteed a certain amount of server resources, but it’ll be difficult to scale your site quickly and your existing host might not be able to handle any traffic surges, depending upon the volume.

Lastly, a VPS is incredibly secure. It’s not quite as secure as dedicated hosting, but it does beat out shared hosting. Your VPS will operate independently of any other sites sharing the same physical server, but there’s a chance that poor security of another site could affect your own.

What Is Cloud Hosting?
Cloud servers are similar to a VPS hosting environment. The key difference is that instead of having a single server that’s dedicated to your site (as is the case with VPS), the resources are spread out amongst a bunch of different physical machines.

With cloud hosting, you have a network of potentially unlimited virtual machines. All of these virtual machines rely upon an underlying network of physical servers. With all of these virtual machines connected together, you’re basically creating one massive VPS.

With a cloud hosting platform, you benefit from the use of multiple servers, so you have more available resources at your disposal. You can increase the power of your server whenever you’d like to meet varying traffic needs.

While cloud hosting offers more flexibility than VPS hosting, it doesn’t allow for quite as much customization.

Who Should Use Cloud Hosting?
Cloud hosting is a great choice for website owners who need the flexibility that cloud hosting provides, to enable increased performance to meet surges in traffic.

Pros and Cons of Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is a great option for website owners who want a scalable and high performing host behind them. Cloud hosting comes with a lot of benefits, but it’s not perfect for every style of website, as you’ll see below.

Cloud hosting offers you decent customization options. However, you may be limited due to the sheer amount of servers you need to distribute the settings across. Configuring your hosting setup to get the most out of your network also might require some technical skills.

Cloud hosting truly shines in its ability to scale. Essentially you’ll have an entire network or servers to tap at a moments notice for additional storage, or to meet rising traffic needs. Also, due to the high availability of servers, you’ll have very high uptime and great performance. If a physical server failure ever occurs then your site will be switched to another server.

Your cloud hosting environment will also be very secure and will be separated from other users on the same physical server network. However, since your host is entirely web-based this does make it more vulnerable to attacks.


VPS Hosting vs. Cloud Hosting: What’s Best For My Website?
The biggest difference between the two server environments is scale. If you’re looking to launch as quickly as possible and don’t care about scale, then a VPS server can be a great starting point. However, if you demand a flexible hosting setup and a high level of site performance and storage then it’s worth checking out a cloud hosting environment.

With cloud hosting you get access to a near unlimited supply of server resources. For sites with variable traffic levels, or sites that are scaling quickly, then cloud hosting can be the perfection solution. Cloud hosting offers you great server power and ultimate flexibility, from resources usage to pricing.

Overall, VPS hosting will be less efficient and limited in its level of resources available to your site. However, it’s a great fit for people who simply want to launch a website and have outgrown the limits of their shared hosting environment. A VPS is powerful and does offer improved performance, however the chances of your site going offline, or running into a resource issue is higher with VPS hosting, than cloud hosting.

What is Dedicated Hosting and Dedicated Server ?

What is Dedicated Hosting and Dedicated Server ?

Dedicated hosting is a hosting configuration in which a server is devoted to a single organisation or for a single purpose, such as a website. This is in contrast to shared hosting, in which a server acts as a host to multiple clients. A dedicated hosting service is sometimes referred to as a dedicated server and can be set up in-house or externally as a service from within a data center. Let’s have a look at some of the benefits.
Customisation – Dedicated hosting grants a certain freedom and control that other hosting solutions are unable to provide. The fact that the server is dedicated to one client and there are no cohabitants means that the server (and overall hosting solution) can be tailored to the specific needs of that client. This ensures that they can select and pay for the features that they require.

Uptime – In a world where convenience is everything and consumers aren’t used to waiting, it is vital to ensure that a website, for example, is functional at all times; site downtime could lead to customers moving on to competitors. Dedicated hosting allows for high performance and stability to ensure that websites and other business functions are operational virtually 100% of the time (usually upwards of 99.4%). To this end, providers should offer server monitoring and back-up facilities alongside support services (described below) to keep functions running as seamlessly as possible.

Congestion – Server congestion is much less of an issue with a dedicated server, especially when compared to shared hosting options. With the latter, you often run the risk of congestion due to the traffic and usage levels of other websites or applications hosted on the same server, competing for bandwidth, disk space and CPU usage. The very nature of dedicated hosting ensures that this isn’t an issue. It also works the other way; if the website in question is resource heavy then dedicated hosting may be the answer to ensure that other websites aren’t disrupted.

Security – Clients using a dedicated platform will be able to deploy security measures, such as anti-virus and firewall configurations, that are more tailored to their own functions; whilst also avoiding the security vulnerabilities that can otherwise be introduced by the activities of neighbouring clients on shared hosting platforms. In addition, dedicated servers located within data centers can benefit from the physical security measures that such facilities often put in place, including, for example, biometric authentication, security guards and mantraps.

Support – Some dedicated hosting services come with a certain level of support. This is important as a high percentage of dedicated hosting customers use the service to host mission critical or important computing functions or websites. Effective support ensures that site disruption is kept to a minimum. A fully managed hosting provider, for example, may offer support 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.


Details of support levels, as well as information regarding reliability statistics can usually be found in the service level agreement (SLA). These documents can often provide an insight into the quality of a particular service and should be consulted carefully when going through the process of choosing a provider.

If opting for a dedicated service that does not come with any support, it is important to ensure the presence of the necessary knowledge to manage and maintain a server effectively.

What Is Shared Hosting

When the time comes to choose where to host your website you’re going to have a ton of options at your disposal. Beyond deciding which company to host with, you’ll also have to decide what kind of hosting package suits you best.

Shared hosting is one of the most popular hosting options for those who are building out their first websites. But, what is shared hosting, and does it make sense for your website? Below we dive into what shared hosting actually is, and what kind of person could benefit from a shared hosting package.

What is Shared Hosting?

Shared hosting allows multiple websites to utilize a single server. Usually, you’ll have no idea who or what websites you’re sharing the resources of a server with. Each customer will usually have a limit on the total amount of server resources they can use, but this will be defined by your hosting package.

Shared hosting is easily the cheapest and most economical option for your needs. However, the cheap price comes with limitations, which we’ll get to below. Since most hosting companies will offer the same amount of space and storage it’s important to choose a company you can trust.

Advantages of Shared Hosting

• It’s by far the cheapest hosting option you’re going to have available. The usual price for this style of hosting will range from $2.99-$9.99.
• Most hosting companies have multiple levels of hosting available, so you can upgrade your hosting package with time. This makes shared hosting a great place to start.
• Shared hosting usually comes equipped with a built-in cPanel, which makes it easy to manage your site.
• No technical maintenance needs to be done on your end to the server, as this is usually included in part of your hosting package.

Put simply, shared hosting can be a great option for website owners with a small budget, or those just getting started online. You can always upgrade to another hosting package with time, as your budget allows, so you’re not stuck with this level of hosting forever.

Disadvantages of Shared Hosting

Shared hosting sounds pretty good: it’s affordable, has a solid uptime, and is easy to manage. But, it does come with certain drawbacks.

• The load time can be a lot slower than dedicated servers.
• The server can become overburdened by other sites that are sharing the server.
• As your site begins to receive higher levels of traffic you’ll begin to notice that your site might begin to perform much worse.
• You never quite know who your neighbors are. Although rare, it is possible for other sites on the server to pose a risk to your own site.
• There’s a lack of customization options to truly get the highest level of performance from your website.

For most people just getting started online the advantages of shared hosting will greatly outweigh the disadvantages, especially if you’re trying to get a site up and running as quickly as possible and have little tech skills. It’s also important to note that a responsible web host will let you know when your traffic hits a level that it’s time to upgrade, and will monitor and shut down any sites that pose a risk to the others on the server.


Alternatives to Shared Hosting

There aren’t any specific alternatives to a shared hosting plan. There are upgrades, but no alternatives that are as cheap as shared hosting.

The alternatives to shared hosting include WordPress dedicated hosting, running a VPS, and other semi-dedicated hosting options. All of these will end up costing more than a basic shared hosting plan, but they will provide you with greater levels of customization and performance.

Shared hosting is a great choice for beginning website users whose sites don’t receive a lot of traffic. Remember, you can always upgrade or change hosting environments with time.

What Is Cloud Hosting?

Cloud hosting has grown in popularity in recent years. If you’ve been exploring your hosting options for any time at all, then you’ve no doubt come across cloud hosting before, and probably have a lot of questions. The cloud is a concept that has been employed across many areas of technology, and now it’s expended out into the hosting arena as well. Below we explore what cloud hosting is and how it works, and why you might want to consider utilizing cloud hosting to host your own website.

Understanding the Cloud

When it comes to the cloud there is no physical thing you can point to and label as the cloud. Just like with cloud hosting there isn’t a single physical server you can point to and say, “that’s a cloud host.”how does cloud server hosting work

Instead, it’s a way of storing data across multiple computers and accessing that data via a network connection like the Internet. As a whole, the cloud behaves like a single physical computer, with endless processing power and storage space.

Common cloud-based services that employ a similar process are cloud storage providers like Dropbox and Google Docs. The underlying idea of resource scaling, storage, and access remain the same when extended out to cloud hosting as well.

What’s Cloud Hosting?

Cloud hosting is more of a way that you configure servers, instead of an actual tangible thing, but with it being called “cloud” hosting that’s probably what you’ve come to expect.

In typical server configurations, you’re limited to the physical constraints of the server your site is hosted on. With cloud hosting, you rely on a unique server configuration that lets you pull from multiple different servers, which results in an affordable hosting solution that’s also scalable and incredibly reliable.

The simplest cloud hosting definition could be a network of virtual servers that tap into an underlying network of physical servers. The extent to which you tap into this network depends upon the actual needs of the website and can be scaled up or down accordingly.

On a technical level, the resources required for your website to function are spread out across multiple remote servers and these resources as tapped as they are needed. Since your website isn’t relying on a single server, but instead a network of servers, this network of servers is referred to as the cloud.


How Does Cloud Hosting Work?

The easiest way to break down cloud hosting is to compare it to a single server model. With traditional hosting, you have a single server that contains all of your website’s files. When a user visits your website these files are then served up from that single physical server.

Compare this to a cloud hosting setup where your site’s resources can be drawn from multiple different virtual server environments.

At the core of a cloud hosting setup is a network of physical servers, with virtualized servers running on top of them. With this setup you can draw from a near-infinite supply of server resources and scale your site as your needs grow.

Why Would I Choose Cloud Hosting?

With all of the various types of hosting available why would you choose cloud hosting?

Whether or not you decide to utilize cloud hosting depends upon your site’s needs. If your site is fast growing and you need a hosting setup that can grow with your site and automatically adjust to traffic spikes, then cloud hosting could be a great choice.


Here are some of the core benefits a cloud host can provide:

• Cloud servers will give you tremendous security and stability. In large part, this is due to the isolated environment in which a cloud server setup runs. Secondly, if one of the physical servers is compromised you can simply rely on another server that’s running properly.
• Cloud servers also offer you incredible speed and performance. When you’re running your site from a physical server the only location your site’s files can be accessed is from that exact server location. With a cloud server, your website can be accessed from multiple locations, which can be closer from the actual physical location of your visitors – improving their site speed.
• Cloud hosting can be infinitely scalable. Upgrading your disk space and memory is a very simple process and can be done from multiple different servers. You’re not limited by the hardware constraints of a single physical server location.

One of the final considerations in determining if cloud hosting is right for you is the sliding pricing format. With most cloud hosts you’ll only be paying for what you actually use. The extra cloud server resources will be available for when traffic spikes occur, but you won’t be paying for server resources that aren’t being utilized.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of cloud server hosting, the technology behind it, and how it can benefit your own website.