VPS vs. dedicated server

bloggerbee · #1 (**permalink**) 01-28-09, 15:15

I'm afraid that I am not very versed in the techie side of the internet. Can someone explain in reasonably simple terms what the differences are between VPS and dedicated servers? And which types of sites are the two best for?

carl owen · #2 (**permalink**) 01-29-09, 19:59

A Dedicated server ( Private server ) is a server which is given to one single client only. The customer of a Dedicated server has the Root/Administrator access to the server and hence can install any applications required on the server. All the resources ( Disk space, bandwidth, RAM etc) of the server are only assigned to the customer and hence the customer can use them according to him. He can also sell the resources to someone else if he wants to.

A VPS ( also known as Virtual Private Server ) gives the customer almost the same features like a Dedicated server but the resources ( Disk space, bandwidth, RAM etc ) assigned to a VPS are less in comparison to the Dedicated server. VPS's are created on a Dedicated server with the help of a Virtualization software. You will also have Root/Administrator access with the VPS which is provided with a Dedicated server and as Root/Administration is provided with it, you can install any applications you require on your VPS also. It is possible to sell resources of a VPS to someone if you want to do that. Basically, you can consider a VPS like a smaller version of a Dedicated server.

As the Dedicated server has a lot of resources, it is generally used by customers who have a high usage ( who require more resources ), and a VPS is used by customers who want to have the same features like a Dedicated server but do not have the usage ( Do not require much resources ) according to a Dedicated server. So if you wish to have features like a Dedicated server but do not require the resources assigned to it, then you can surely consider a VPS for yourself.
I hope this helps.

bloggerbee · #3 (**permalink**) 02-02-09, 13:03

That was quite helpful - thank you. What is the difference specifically in terms of resources between the two though? I guess what I'm looking for is a rough idea of how much resources are available at the different levels from shared hosting on up to a dedicated server. I am in the process of creating what will hopefully turn out to be a high traffic website with a lot of space needed for files that my members can access for downloading as well as several interactive applications they can access right on site.

carl owen · #4 (**permalink**) 02-02-09, 18:03

You are most welcome. The resources allotted to a VPS and a Dedicated server depends on the package you select. However, a Dedicated server is generally offered with 3-4 times the resources offered with a VPS. Selecting a server basically depends on your requirements like the disk space and bandwidth you require. It also depends on the applications you wish to run on the server. According to your requirements, I would suggest you to opt for a high configuration VPS ( A high level VPS ) or a Dedicated server instead. A Dedicated server will be much more preferred as it has a lot of benefits over a VPS.

Also, the performance of the Dedicated server is very good in comparison to the VPS as the Dedicated server is only given to you and you do not share it with anyone. Performance also depends on the resources allotted to the server and as the Dedicated server has more resources in comparison to a VPS, a Dedicated server is better in performance.

BodShane · #5 (**permalink**) 02-02-09, 18:17

Following will give you an idea in respect with the resource usage on a VPS :

On a high-end server configuration such as a Dual Quad Core Xeon Harpertown Processor, there are only 10-15 VPS's created on it which means you have enough resources to run applications on them.

However, please make a note, resources utilization depends upon the application that runs on it.

Regards,

Shane Phillips

Joseph · #6 (**permalink**) 02-03-09, 16:21

Shane is right. You should make sure that your server should have enough resources required to run the applications you want to run on the server. If you wish to run applications which require very high resources then you should select a Dedicated server otherwise, you can select a VPS.

Having more resources will not harm you and it will always benefit you as the performance of the server increases. But if you have less resources with the server then you will not be able to run the applications properly and hence you can always have more resources. Also, you will not have to upgrade your package for a long time if you have more resources.

Lazlo90 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-03-09, 21:20

I'd recommend going with a VPS first to see if you really need a dedicated as there's a significant price gap in between both of them. If you see that you need more resources then you could either upgrade to a more powerful VPS or just get a dedicated server.

As for the site type, most of the common web scripts will work well on either assuming that the traffic load is appropriate for whatever you buy. Some other scripts on the other hand are rather complex and therefore would probably perform better on a dedicated server.

clarabean · #8 (**permalink**) 02-12-09, 18:12

Is there a rough estimate of an example of a high traffic site that would be better with dedicated or VPS hosting over regular shared hosting? For instance, with a site that had a lot of downloadable material, what would an average traffic number be to be considered resource intensive?

bloggerbee · #9 (**permalink**) 02-12-09, 20:34

Thanks for all the explanations of how the various server types work. I like the suggestion to start with the VPS and then upgrade as needed. Silly to spend a lot on a dedicated server if the site turns out to be a flop.

BodShane · #10 (**permalink**) 02-14-09, 12:18

I'll agree. You can always upgrade to a dedicated server once you are aware of the resources and utilization.

jakson0100 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-18-11, 05:37

The difference between vps and dedicated is that with dedicated you are the only person with files on the server. VPS is a virtualization environment where everyone gets root access inside a virtual machine
, but there are multiple people with these VMs on one given physical server. If you are comfortable managing your sites in a VPS as root, then it won't be any more difficult to manage them on a dedicated server.

Rozanne · #12 (**permalink**) 06-18-11, 12:59

When we talk about vps vs dedicated, then one thing need to be said that it is also costs vs benefits...There are many people who shout against dedicated hosting price, but nowadays single core processor dedicated server cost as similar to highly configured vps, but you should take a look at your specific needs to make a good determination. While choosing vps or dedicated, you need to check those points when upgrade you package from shared to vps....that's it.