What is Cloud VPS Hosting?
As technology advances, many businesses are looking to completely digitize their workspaces. It’s become clear that one of the essential aspects of digital transformation for any business is Cloud VPS hosting. With worldwide events such as the COVID-19 pandemic occurring, the benefits of this technology are becoming more apparent. So, what is Cloud VPS hosting, and why should your company consider migrating towards this model? We’ll start by breaking down the term into two smaller parts.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- What is VPS hosting?
- What is the “Cloud”?
- Putting it all together
- The Importance of Cloud VPS Hosting
- The Future of Cloud VPS Hosting
What is VPS hosting?
VPS stands for “virtual private server.”
To break it down even further, a server is like a hard drive that stores files and data for websites, software, and other digital materials that can be accessed remotely. That means you don’t need to be next to the hard drive to access the contents on it. Instead, you can access it as long as you have the login details and an IP address associated with it. For instance, a server can host website files, and by hosting those files, your website can live in the cloud and be accessible online by anyone – as long as they know where to go (a.k.a. a URL). Whenever someone visits your website, the server filters through all the information it has stored to provide the content the user wants to see.
A virtual private server, then, is a server that is private to you and your company—you won’t share it with any other users, and the only way to access what’s inside is by providing a login URL and unique credentials to those with whom you want to use it. The virtual aspect implies the use of virtualization or the idea that the server is split into multiple virtual servers.
VPS hosting is when a hosting provider offers the benefits of a completely private, dedicated server without you actually having to run your own server. It provides you with the resources and control that running your own server would, but at a lower cost. It also means you won’t be sharing it with other businesses, keeping your data secure and your access fast.
What is the “Cloud”?
The cloud is a kind of computing infrastructure where everything, from servers to storage, is enabled through the internet. Instead of storing all these resources on physical hard drives and servers, the cloud allows everything to be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection. The fully online experience is what makes cloud computing appealing to companies looking to fully digitize their workspaces.
There are five characteristics that define cloud computing:
Accessible through the Internet
A cloud environment allows users to access and manage information whenever and wherever they have an internet connection.
Pay-As-You-Use
Cloud services are paid for based on consumption. Rather than a flat rate, or different payment plans, you pay based on what you use.
Self-Serviced
The cloud is, for the most part, self-serviced, without the need for manual setup and configuration.
Shared Resource Pooling
Cloud computing allows multiple users to access the same information, giving organizations the ability to work together on projects seamlessly.
Easily scalable
The cloud offers great flexibility in terms of scaling. It can easily scale up or down as your business fluctuates.
There are different service categories that cloud technology offers.
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
This is the most common form of cloud application service. SaaS allows a company to access software applications that are hosted on a remote server and managed by a third-party provider. Popular examples are Salesforce and Microsoft Office 365. - Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS allows an organization to create and test applications. This service allows developers to “rent” everything they need (e.g., operating systems, tools) to build an application. Examples include Google App Engine and Windows Azure. - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS is the most basic level of cloud computing. It offers essential computer, storage, and networking resources to businesses. Examples include Google Compute Engine and Amazon Web Services.
Putting it all together
Now that we have a grasp of what cloud and VPS hosting are, we can look at what Cloud VPS hosting is.
Cloud VPS hosting is cloud computing based on Linux’s Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM). Just as with the regular cloud, it’s pay-as-you-go, virtualized, and easily scalable. Cloud VPS hosting is, however, private to you and your company. It’s only accessible by those who have permission/are invited to the cloud. This means added security for all of your information.
The Importance of Cloud VPS Hosting
Cloud VPS hosting is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the world of business. Relying on hard drives and servers to store data and software is a thing of the past; not only were these methods costly, as scaling required purchasing more storage, but equipment often needed maintenance or repair.
With this new technology, companies can scale easily, collaborate seamlessly, reduce costs, and grow efficiently while staying secure. It’s been studied and proven that companies that use cloud technology are doing better financially than those that aren’t.
Even outside of business, in our everyday lives, we’re using cloud technology. Social media and streaming websites are just some of the services we use on a daily basis that are powered by cloud computing.
The Future of Cloud VPS Hosting
What does the future hold for Cloud VPS hosting?
As businesses regain footing after the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more of them will turn to online platforms to house all of their data. With that being said, the flexibility and ease that Cloud VPS hosting offers are difficult to ignore. Now more than ever, businesses should be looking to adopt this new technology to advance themselves.