We have discussed shared hosting many times in the past , but once your blog starts to get a decent amount of traffic, shared hosting is no longer ideal. You need to increase the hosting infrastructure for your blog, and the next step is to choose managed VPS web hosting.
Note: There are also unmanaged VPS hosting, which is cheaper, but if you don't like using shell commands, managed hosting is your best choice. I use the WordPress platform, and managed VPS is specifically for WordPress blogs.
You’ve probably heard me talk about HostGator and Bluehost a few times . While I don’t have any issues with my shared hosting account, if my traffic starts to increase, I’ll need to move to a dedicated server or VPS.
For some of my smaller sites, shared hosting is ideal, but for a site like SidelinePlay, shared hosting isn't practical.
Dedicated web hosting is expensive, so a VPS is really the best option.
From Wikipedia :
A Virtual Private Server (VPS, also called Virtual Dedicated Server or VDS) is a method of partitioning a physical server computer into multiple servers so that each server looks and functions as if it were running on its own dedicated computer. Each virtual server can run its own complete operating system, and each server can be rebooted independently.
With a VPS, you will be in a shared environment, but using a dedicated server. You will have full control just like with a dedicated server, and most importantly, you will have all the necessary resources dedicated to you. This means that you will not be sharing valuable resources (like RAM) with other people on the same server.
Unfortunately, with a VPS, life isn't that simple. Most tasks are managed from the command prompt, and if you plan to run an unmanaged virtual private server, you'll need to have a good knowledge of Linux.
Of course, you can also opt for a managed virtual private server. This type of VPS is maintained and managed by the web hosting company and is just as easy to use as any shared hosting plan on Bluehost or HostGator.
You will have Fantastico, cPanel, WHM and all other features that make for a user-friendly hosting experience. You don't need to have any technical knowledge to use a managed VPS.
Managed vs. Unmanaged VPS
As I mentioned above, for an unmanaged VPS account, you need to know how to use the command prompt to perform all operations. If you are proficient in Linux, an unmanaged VPS server will give you more control and it will be cheaper.
But if you know nothing about Linux and want everything to be the same as in a shared cPanel environment, then you should go for managed VPS web hosting.
Best Managed VPS Hosting
I spent a long time searching for some of the best managed VPS hosts. I based my search on various reviews and forum interactions. I got a lot of recommendations from some big companies as well as small ones.
Here’s what I can recommend:
I have been using KnownHost for a year and have had a very good experience.
After using KnownHost, I moved to Linode. Linode is an unmanaged VPS, but I have a technician who maintains my server for a yearly maintenance fee, so my unmanaged hosting experience is very hassle-free.
Note: SidelinePlay is currently hosted on Kinsta , a managed WordPress host. I have been hosting with them since Q1 2016 and have never had an easier time with hosting. You can read a Kinsta review here.
See also:
Have you outgrown your shared hosting plan? Let me know which plan you’d upgrade to in the comments below.
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