Picking the right operating system depends on your unique needs and personal preferences. It depends on how you want to structure your workflow to manage your virtual private server.

Virtual Private Server or VPS hosting enables you to upgrade from basic hosting options to resources. This allows deploying websites and e-commerce models without paying a single penny to a dedicated server.  A VPS creates a virtual server within a physical server. Hosting can produce many digital servers using a single server machine. This allows selling low-priced packages to the clients and enabling to run complex websites, store data, and adaptable services.

Linux and Windows

There are two types of VPS hosting: Windows and Linux. You need to know which type of VPS environment you need to run. Linux is an open source operating system, but certainly has its peak. If your site is running on ASP or ASP.net, you’ll need to use a Windows VPS hosting environment.

VPS vs. other types of hosting

A dedicated hosting means that your website is the only site hosted on the server. In shared hosting, the amount of bandwidth and disk space allotted is limited because there are others sharing the server.

Many websites launch using a shared hosting plan. It requires less technical knowledge to handle. Owing a VPS hosting becomes essential since your site grows and demands more functions.

If you’re on shared hosting, here are some indications, and maybe it’s time to switch over to VPS.

• If many resources from the shared server are pulled, you’ll receive a notification from your shared hosting provider. This indicates an upgradation of your server capacity. If you don’t receive a notification from your provider, this indicates your growth is excellent.
• You have reached a point that requires complete control over web host to perform advanced actions. The advanced actions are installing custom software or a custom server configuration.  
• You need better control over your user; example, if you’re a developer and design and host websites, likely to take responsibilities of VPS hosting. VPS hosting will give better control over user access while allowing clients to access the servers.

How to select the right VPS hosting?

There are some general factors to take into consideration while you look to make your choice:

Managed vs. unmanaged

In shared hosting, you don’t get root access to the server, and the question of managing the server doesn’t arise. When it comes to VPS hosting, the whole virtual server is handed over to you, but its performance needs to be monitored. If this is handled by your VPS provider, then it’s called managed VPS. In unmanaged VPS, you need to take responsibility of the server all by yourself.

Unmanaged hosting requires you to monitor the performance and keep the server running in good condition. If your server’s software happens to crash, or is hampered by a security bug; you’re the one to fix it being the only VPS administrator.

If you’re familiar with shutting down, repairing, restarting, rebooting the server, then you’re a good candidate for unmanaged hosting.  Most VPS hosting providers offer managed VPS hosting by default.

Redundancy and scalability

Redundancy refers to having a backup resource in place, especially at the data center. If the regular power supply fails, generators and UPS systems should be available. Some other alternate arrangement should be there as well if ISP services are interrupted. If one server is overloaded, another standby server should be provided for backup.

Scalability indicates the ability to handle sudden and occasional increased loads on the server. This is usually indicated by making use of the redundant resources in the system. Both of these combined together translates into a higher uptime and consistent performance.

Get the Windows advantage

The advantage of using Windows VPS hosting is a long-standing relationship between business and Windows operating systems. Windows VPS systems work well with other Microsoft products. This reduces concerns about transferring data in and out of the virtual server, and matching web data with other databases and similar tasks.

If you regularly use and depend on Microsoft products for daily operations, a Windows VPS is probably a smart choice for your next growth stage.