You may already understand that the “Virtual Private” arrangement comes from the server being logically partitioned to separate the Hard Disk, the Memory and the CPU time. These partitions get their own OS and software and look like independent machines. But they are managed by a kind of “Super OS” that handles creation, maintenance and deletion of these virtual machines.
These Super OS arrangements are quite complicated, however, and in order for you to benefit from the seamless uptime and reliability of having a VPS your host needs to be technically competent enough to keep abreast of any issues.
Cues to ensure you are dealing with a technically competent VPS host include
- Security A secured VPS host is the number one priority that should essentially be addressed by service providers. Proper security checks and mechanisms should be in place to ensure secure transactions. The availability of SSL (Secured Socket Layer) Certificates is essential even if you aren’t going to use one. Yes, they enable secure online business management websites and credit card payments, but they are also an indicator that the provider has experience and capability in the security area.
- No Fuss Web Space Management As your business enterprises expand and require more data storage your existing web space might become tight and you will need a scalable web space solution. Your VPS host should be in a position to migrate, transition and provide more disk space without effecting any existing configurations and settings or requiring downtime. A scalable solution means your customers continue to be served even as you perform the upgrades, a fixed solution means potential downtime, missed sales leads or unhappy customers.
- File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Access This one is a no-brainer. VPS hosts which do not allow FTP access or allow only access through online website builder tools should be avoided.
- Managed Hosting Make sure the host has a managed option, we aren’t suggesting everyone shell out the extra money for it but if they offer Managed Hosting chances are they know what they are doing.
- Scripting Support Your VPS host should be able to set up your VPS to support various scripting languages in order to provide you with more flexibility, PHP, Perl and JSP are the minimum.
- Bandwidth Bandwagon VPS service providers usually impose a cap on the bandwidth available to your VPS. Be wary of the contract details of VPS hosts who provide “unlimited” plans as these often have “Fair use” clauses which will cause your site to be taken offline or your throughput capped, both of which will greatly damage your company’s reputation user-experience. Your VPS hosts should be capable of raising your bandwidth limit when required but be wary of exceeding your cap as excess bandwidth is generally charged at an outrageous rate if not planned for and ordered in advance
- Helpdesk Support VPS hosts which offer 24/7 support across multiple channels should be your first choice, being able to talk to someone who can get your site up and running again at any hour is an absolute boon. VPS hosts that have 24/7 ticket response, but no number to call, are often just as good as those with help-lines. Communication by voice with a 24 hour helpdesk isn’t always the easiest when the helpdesk has been outsourced to an offshore provider.
- Near 100% Uptime Everyone will have some downtime so the important thing here is the contract and the consequences of them exceeding their allowed downtime. Read our article on Deciphering Uptime Guarantees for more information. Anyone who claims 100% uptime is probably lying.
- Constant Communication. Seamless communication on topics such as domain expiry notification, security alerts and so forth is a good indicator of a quality VPS provider. It is hard to get a gauge for many of these factors without using a VPS hosts services and evaluating them for yourself. Going with one of the hosts mentioned on our site, or on the recommendation of someone who has used a provider, is an excellent start. Next examine their website for evidence of clear communication such as blogs and news posts that are made by the staff.Send them an email or better yet call them and speak to the people who you will be dealing with, it is way too easy to go online and order without knowing anything about the people who will be for all intents and purposes your online business partners.
Check all these factors and you are on your way to making sure the host you end up with is competent, capable and communicative, and that is the first step to making sure your site reaches it’s full potential.
Don’t necessarily go for the cheapest host, or the one with the highest bandwidth limits, check all the offers shown here and elsewhere with your common sense, because if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
Andrew Mailer is a Web Developer, Systems Admin and all round geeky guy bringing you information and advice on web hosting:-)
