Shared Hosting vs. VPS Hosting: The Perfect Choice for Your Growing Business

Introduction:

Are you running a small business or thinking of starting one? Whether you’re just getting started or already on your way to growth and success, one of the crucial decisions you’ll have to make is choosing the right hosting for your website. In this blog, we’re going to explore two popular hosting options: shared hosting and VPS hosting. We’ll break down the differences and help you decide which is suitable for your growing business.

Understanding Shared Hosting:

Shared hosting is like renting an apartment in a large building where you share resources with other tenants. In the web hosting world, you’ll be sharing server resources with other websites hosted on the same server. Here are some key features of shared hosting:

  1. Affordability: Shared hosting is budget-friendly, making it an excellent choice for startups or small businesses. It’s like a communal potluck where everyone pitches in a little, keeping costs low.
  2. Ease of Use: You don’t need to be a tech genius to manage a shared hosting account. The hosting provider takes care of server maintenance and security, allowing you to focus on your business.
  3. Limited Resources: Since you’re sharing server resources with others, there is a cap on how much CPU, RAM, and bandwidth you can use. This might not be ideal for high-traffic or resource-intensive websites.

Pros of Shared Hosting

Cost-Efficiency: Shared hosting is a cost-effective solution for businesses on a tight budget. It’s perfect for those just starting their online journey.

Ease of Maintenance: Hosting providers handle server maintenance, updates, and security, saving you time and effort.

Scalability: Many providers offer easy scalability options, so you can upgrade your hosting plan as your business grows.

Cons of Shared Hosting

Resource Limitations: Your website’s performance can be affected if other websites on the same server experience a surge in traffic or resource usage.

Limited Control: With shared hosting, you have limited control over server configurations and software installations.

Security Concerns: Security can be a concern, as a vulnerability in one site could potentially affect others on the same server.

When Is Shared Hosting Suitable for a Growing Business?

Shared hosting is a great choice when you’re just starting, but it might not be ideal for a rapidly growing business. However, if your business is still in its infancy and has minimal traffic, shared hosting can be a cost-effective and hassle-free solution. As your business expands and your website experiences more traffic, it’s time to consider an upgrade to VPS hosting.

Demystifying VPS Hosting

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting takes your web hosting experience to the next level. It’s like moving from a shared apartment to your private condo. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Isolation: In a VPS environment, you have your virtual server with dedicated resources. You won’t have to worry about noisy neighbors affecting your website’s performance.
  2. Control: You have more control over your server configurations, software installations, and security settings. It’s like having the keys to your own digital kingdom.
  3. Scalability: VPS hosting is highly scalable. As your business grows, you can easily allocate more resources to your virtual server.

Pros of VPS Hosting

Enhanced Performance: With dedicated resources, your website’s performance is more stable and reliable.

Customization: You can configure your VPS to suit your specific needs, allowing you to run custom software and applications.

Improved Security: Your virtual server is isolated from others, reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities from neighboring websites.

Cons of VPS Hosting

Higher Cost: VPS hosting is more expensive than shared hosting, which might not be suitable for businesses with limited budgets.

Technical Expertise: You may need some technical knowledge to manage and optimize your VPS effectively.

Responsibility: With greater control comes greater responsibility. You’re in charge of server maintenance, updates, and security.

When Is VPS Hosting Suitable for a Growing Business?

VPS hosting is the perfect choice when your business starts to outgrow the constraints of shared hosting. If you’re experiencing increased website traffic, want more control over your server, and need to run custom software, it’s time to consider VPS hosting. The scalability and improved performance will support your growing business needs.

Making the Right Choice for Your Growing Business

The decision between shared hosting and VPS hosting depends on various factors. Here are some guidelines to help you make the right choice for your growing business:

  1. Assess Your Website’s Needs: Consider the current and future needs of your website. How much traffic do you expect? What software and applications will you need? These factors will determine the hosting plan that suits you best.
  2. Budget Constraints: Your budget plays a significant role in your decision. Shared hosting is more cost-effective, while VPS hosting offers better performance but at a higher cost. Evaluate what you can afford.
  3. Technical Proficiency: Do you or your team have the technical skills required to manage a VPS effectively? If not, shared hosting might be a more manageable choice.
  4. Scalability: Think about your business growth. If you anticipate rapid expansion, a VPS can easily adapt to your increasing resource demands.
  5. Security Concerns: If your website deals with sensitive data or customer information, the enhanced security of a VPS might be a priority.
  6. Customization Needs: Consider whether you require specific server configurations and custom software installations. VPS hosting allows more flexibility in this regard.

Making the Transition

If you’re already using shared hosting and believe your business is ready to make the leap to VPS, don’t worry – the transition can be relatively smooth. Many hosting providers offer migration services to assist you in moving your website and data to the new hosting environment. Additionally, you can gradually scale your VPS resources to accommodate your growing needs.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right hosting solution for your growing business is a crucial step on your online journey. Shared hosting is an excellent starting point for small businesses, while VPS hosting offers enhanced performance and control as your website expands. Consider your budget, technical expertise, and scalability needs to make the right decision. Remember, your hosting choice can impact your website’s performance, security, and, ultimately, your business’s success. So, make it wisely and start your journey towards online growth today!

Do you offer White Label hosting?

White-label hosting is a service offered by a company that allows other parties to repackage it under their own brand, concealing any affiliation with the original company. This is especially valuable if you intend to resell our hosting services.

In certain hosting solutions, we include white-label marketing tools. If you opt for our Reseller hosting, VPS, or Dedicated server options, you won’t find any mention of Sun Server or our logo. Your branding and identity will take precedence.

With any of the aforementioned hosting services, you can even customize the cPanel logo for your clients using your own branding in WHM’s cPanel Branding tool.

Additionally, you have the ability to register private nameservers to offer your clients. This means your customers can use your custom DNS records to direct their domain names to your hosting account.

What is CloudLinux?

CloudLinux is a Linux distribution primarily tailored for hosting environments, and it’s built upon the CentOS operating system. It leverages LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) kernel technology, which bears some similarities to OpenVZ and other OS-based virtualization methods.

In the context of shared hosting, one of the most common causes of downtime is a single user account monopolizing a significant portion of the shared resources due to resource-intensive websites or unoptimized scripts. CloudLinux OS addresses this issue by creating an environment where it’s virtually impossible for one or a few users to overload or hang the server.

The core concept of CloudLinux is to enhance server stability by isolating each client within a secure and separate environment, often referred to as a ‘container.’ This isolation limits the amount of resources each user can utilize.

Furthermore, CloudLinux incorporates CageFS, a virtualized file system along with a set of tools designed to confine each user within their own ‘cage.’ Each customer has their individual CageFS with all necessary system files and tools.

Here are the advantages of CageFS:

1. Users can only access safe binaries.
2. Users cannot discover the presence or usernames of other users on the server.
3. Users cannot view server configuration files, such as Apache config files.
4. Users have a restricted view of the /proc file system and cannot monitor other users’ processes.
5. CageFS confines the execution of scripts, preventing malware in one cPanel account from affecting others.

The benefits of CloudLinux include:

1. Isolation of users to prevent resource-related issues among neighbors.
2. Users cannot access sensitive configuration files or private data.
3. Monitoring and control of resource limits, including CPU, RAM, and I/O usage.
4. Monitoring and management of MySQL usage.
5. Provision of the CageFS file system for unique encapsulation of each customer.
6. End users can select from various PHP versions.
7. Protection against symbolic link attacks.
8. Compatibility with all major control panels.

In summary, CloudLinux and its CageFS component are powerful tools that enhance the stability and security of hosting environments, ensuring that users have a reliable and secure experience while sharing server resources.

Hosting migration to Sunserver

We want to guide you through the process of migrating your hosting to SunServer, making it as seamless and stress-free as possible. Our experienced migration team is here to assist you at every step, and the best part is that we offer this service free of charge!

We can help you with various types of migrations, including:

1. Migrating from any cPanel-based provider to our shared hosting.
2. Migrating from any cPanel-based provider to our reseller hosting.
3. Migrating from a cPanel-based VPS to one of our VPS options.
4. Migrating from a cPanel-based Dedicated server to one of our Dedicated server offerings.
5. Migration from non-cPanel providers (e.g., GoDaddy) to SunServer.

Here’s how we can assist you:

**Full cPanel Transfers:**
– For Shared Hosting: We will transfer your cPanel hosting account as is to a Shared account with us. It should meet the limits set by your new SunServer hosting plan, including the number of hosted domains, email accounts, and MySQL databases. We’ll ensure compatibility with our services and PHP/CMS versions. Your current provider should generate a full cPanel backup for the transfer.

– For Reseller Hosting: We can fully migrate your Reseller hosting plan to SunServer servers. Our team will move all accounts, scan for viruses, provide site check logs, and instruct you on changing the nameservers.

– For VPS/Dedicated Servers: We can seamlessly transfer your VPS/Dedicated server, especially if you order a VPS or Dedicated server with Basic or Complete management.

**Assistance with Manual Transfers:**
– Manual transfers can be more challenging and require technical skills. Our Transfer Assistance team will review each case individually and provide you with the necessary guides and tips during the migration process.

**Email Transfers:**
– Depending on how you manage your emails, you can manually transfer mailboxes to SunServer via an email client (e.g., Outlook, Thunderbird) or by using the built-in restore option in cPanel webmail (e.g., Horde or RoundCube).

**Post-Transfer Actions:**
– After the transfer, you can check your site from the new server using methods like modifying your local hosts file, creating a subdomain, or using online tools to ensure everything works as intended.

– To avoid downtime during DNS propagation, your account with your previous host should remain active until DNS propagation is complete, which usually takes 24-48 hours.

We’re committed to making your hosting migration a smooth experience, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance or have questions about the process.

What happens after I purchase web hosting?

We want to extend our congratulations on the launch of your new online business and express our gratitude for choosing SunServer services.

Upon receiving confirmation of your successful order, it will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes for your shared hosting package to become active.

Please note that with SunServer, you have the convenience of logging into your Hosting account directly through the SunServer platform. This means you won’t need to remember separate cPanel login details; remembering your SunServer account credentials will suffice.

Once your Shared Hosting account is activated, you’ll find cPanel auto-login buttons within your Account Panel.

After activation, our system will send an email containing your Hosting Account Details, including all the necessary login information, to your designated contact email address. Please be sure to check your Spam/Junk folders as well. If you haven’t received the Welcome email after some time, don’t hesitate to contact our Live Chat support, and we’ll be happy to resend it to you.

Below, you can reference an example of a Hosting Welcome Guide. The Hosting package details section provides you with essential information related to your newly acquired hosting service:

The cPanel details section includes the links and login details for accessing cPanel. As mentioned earlier, you can also log in directly from the SunServer Dashboard, eliminating the need to remember separate cPanel login information.

If your domain name isn’t yet pointed to our hosting nameservers, you can access cPanel through the SunServer Dashboard, similar to the process described here. Alternatively, you can use the server link, such as “https://sunserver.in/cpanel,” to access your cPanel control panel.

Note 1: When copying and pasting your login details, ensure there are no extra spaces.

Note 2: You can change your password to a personalized one by using the “Password and Security” menu in cPanel.

Once you’re inside your cPanel account, you’re all set to start working on your website. SunServer provides a user-friendly script installer called “Softaculous,” which includes popular software like WordPress, Joomla, and Magento, making installations a breeze.

Additionally, you can explore our Website Builder cPanel tool, allowing you to create a website effortlessly with a drag-and-drop editor.

A Handy Guide to Resource Limits or What is LVE?

All hosting accounts on Sunserver shared, business and reseller platforms have resource limits in place. These resource limits are designed to safeguard your account. In the past, other users on the server could consume all of the available resources (CPU/Processor, RAM/Memory or Disk Access) and cause a slow down for other websites hosted on the same server.

Sunserver use the CloudLinux operating system that has resource limits set by a LVE system; kernel-level technology embedded in the server to ensure all websites on the server get full access to a fair share of resources.

Sunserver’s resource limits are generous. Typically, our limits are much higher than that of other hosting companies giving every website a lot more space to grow. We can offer higher limits for two main reasons:

1. We use faster, more powerful servers. A typical server uses the latest Intel Xeon E5 processors, up to 128GB of DDR3 RAM and fast hard disks with SSD technology.
2. We place fewer accounts per server than that of our competitors. ‘Overcrowding’ of servers is a common technique used by competitors to try and squeeze more money from customers. Sunserver load our servers with fewer accounts to deliver a better quality of service.

Any shared/reseller account may use no more resources than outlined below:
Shared accounts
Resource Type Any Shared Stellar Plus/Ultimate Stellar Business/Business SSD
CPU Limit, % 50 50 100
Physical Memory Limit, GB 1 2 2
maxEntryProc limit, N 20 30 40
IO, MB/s 50 50 50
We may allow any shared account to burst up to*
CPU Limit, % 200 200 400
Physical Memory Limit, GB 4 6 8
 
NOTE: The burst allowance is used to stabilize the operation of the website during peak intervals. If your account/server employs the higher burstable resources on a consistent basis, an upgrade to a package with higher resource availability should be considered.
Reseller accounts

 

Resource Type Nebula/Level 1 Reseller Galaxy Expert/Level 2 Reseller Universe Pro/Level 3 Reseller Level 4 Reseller One Resold Account
CPU Limit, % 800 1600 2400 3200 20
Physical Memory Limit, GB 4 8 12 16 1
maxEntryProc limit, N 80 160 240 320 20
IO, MB/s 2048 4096 6144 8192 50

As you can see, more expensive packages come with more resources and are designed for busier websites. You can upgrade your hosting account at any time to a higher resource package if you run into any of the limits we have in place. Just contact our team who will be happy to assist.

Checking your current usage

It is possible to check your current resource Usage via cPanel account. Log into your hosting panel and navigate to Stats widget on the left:

CPU Usage specifies how much of the allocated CPU resources you are currently using. The amount of CPU resources we provide to each account is the percentage of the server’s resources.

If CPU reaches 100% it means that your account is using all of the CPU resources allocated, and any new processes will be put to sleep until existing processes complete. This can cause your website to slow down dramatically and in extreme cases even time out.

Virtual Memory Usage corresponds to the amount of memory, processes can allocate within LVE. When the process tries to allocate memory, CloudLinux checks if the new total virtual memory used by all processes in LVE is within the limit set. If it is not, CloudLinux will prevent memory from being allocated and in most cases this causes the process to fail.

Physical Memory Usage (RAM) is the actual memory allocated for your account. Virtual memory is usually a file on a disk drive that the operating system uses to store information (swap-to-from) when the real memory becomes full, for instance, the page (swap) file on a Linux system. Therefore, if you try to publish a big post, it might take all physical memory to do so, but after some time it will be normalized.

If this value reaches the limit you may begin to experience PHP errors (if applicable) on your website, or in very extreme cases may see a CloudLinux error page. These errors are typically only brief and once the usage has reduced to below the limit, will automatically clear.

Entry Processes is the number of processes that enter your account. It is also known as “Apache concurrent connections”. This value defines how many PHP or CGI scripts you can run at a single time. For example, every PHP page that is accessed by a user will usually generate a single entry process. Many people misinterpret this value as “number of visitors you can have on your website at once”. Whilst it is true that each visitor accessing a PHP page will spawn an entry process, these processes usually end so quickly that it is extremely unlikely that 10 will be spawned concurrently and at a single moment unless you had a significantly large number of simultaneous visitors on your website at once.

Number of Processes is the limit similar to the above but includes all processes generated by the account rather than the specific PHP, SSH, or cron jobs. This number is typically very low, even under high activity, as non-PHP tasks execute and complete even more quickly.

I/O Usage (input/output) represents how much I/O (or disk activity) your account is using. Any task which makes use of the servers disk drive (such as reading or writing to the server) will consume I/O. We limit the maximum disk speed of each account to ensure that no single account can saturate the disk drives which will reduce performance for everyone.

Reaching this limit will cause all processes to slow down (to within this limit) and take much longer to complete. Typically you won’t notice this setting ever increase unless you perform something disk intensive like generating a large backup of your account.

Reasons for ‘Resource Limit is Reached’ errors

When your website is hitting one or more of its hosting account resource limits, it can result in ‘Resource Limit Reached’ errors or slow down the website. What error will appear depends on the resource limit the account is hitting.

The error 508 appears when entry processes hit the limit. If this limit is reached, mod_hostinglimits will not be able to place Apache process into LVE and will return error code 508. This way a very heavy site start returning 508 errors without affecting other users on the server.

However, if the site is limited by CPU or IO – the site will start responding slower.

If the site is limited by memory or number of processes limits – the user will see 500 or 503 errors that server cannot execute the script.

Everything you do on your website, from uploading files, installing plugins to having visitors, uses server resources. Most common causes of the resource overusage are:

  • increased legitimate website traffic: your website may suddenly receive a high amount of visitors and the error will be shown until the number of the visitors is reduced or the resource limits are increased;
  • backend scripts or cron jobs: scripts running in the background, including automatic backups and demanding cron jobs can create significant load, which in addition to normal traffic can affect the website performance and cause the overusage;
  • web crawlers or search engines indexing your website too often;
  • badly written scripts: scripts and plugins that are outdated or incorrectly coded can malfunction and cause loops. Even a few concurrent requests to such scripts can push the website over its resource limits;
  • DDOS: Denial of service attack overloads the server, making it unavailable for normal use.

It is possible to check resource usage of your account in more details through another menu:

for cPanel paper_lantern theme
for cPanel x3 theme

for cPanel paper_lantern theme:

Navigate to Metrics section and click on Resource Usage menu:

NOTE: If your resource usage limits are being frequently hit, you will see a corresponding warning message on the top of the page with the reference to the exact limits.

Choose the desired period in Timeframe drop-down and click SubmitQuery:

You will see diagrams and tables showing detailed statistics:

CPU – CPU limits
vMEM/vM – Virtual Memory limits
pMEM/pM – Physical Memory limits
EP – Entry Processes
nPROC/nP – Number of Processes
IO – Input/Output limits

a – average used
l – limit set for account
m – maximal used
f – failure

for cPanel x3 theme:

Navigate to Metrics section and click on Resource Usage:

NOTE: If your resource usage limits are being frequently hit, you will see a corresponding warning message on the top of the page with the reference to the exact limits.

Choose the desired period in Timeframe drop-down and click Submit:

You will see diagrams and tables showing detailed statistics.

CPU – CPU limits
vMEM/vM – Virtual Memory limits
pMEM/pM – Physical Memory limits
EP – Entry Processes
nPROC/nP – Number of Processes
IO – Input/Output limits

a – average used
l – limit set for account
m – maximal used
f – failure

That’s it!