VDS is a virtual dedicated server.

VPS is a virtual private server.

Both terms are identical.

Virtual dedicated server is usually used for a site with non-standard solutions or this site consumes too much CPU that leads to overloading of the server and consequently to downtime.

As a rule, there are some accounts on this server with disk space and CPU restrictions. It's a medium between a dedicated server and shared hosting. You may manage a dedicated server yourself, install any software except OS.

Who use it:

A vitual dedicated server is used for:

1.A small business. For providing additional information or for using non-standard applications.

2.A medium business. A average company that has an average amount of goods and customers and this site simplifies their work (buying and selling of goods).

3.E-Commerce (your Internet business). For an Internet shop or supporting of the software available for downloading.

4.A medium projects requiring non-standard solutions.

5.A great project. You have got a frequently visited resource or it takes too much disk space. The project requires an average amount of CPU.

Where to take it:

A choice of a web hosting provider is very important too. It's essential to remember that there are a lot of offers in this segment (VDS) but they are less than in the segment of shared hosting. It's not enough to browse your clients? sites because you'll have your own virtual dedicated server. But you'd be better to do it to test speed download of the site.

In the web hosting market there are quite enough hosting providers that offer a test-month service. It's free-of-charge and it's advised to use this service to check up web hosting company server, speed and quality of its tech support. Of course, you have to pay attention to the interface of the hosting company, its quality, services and methods of payment. Take into consideration the feedbacks of the clients of this company on the forums.

How to choose a package plan:

There is no universal way to choose a right package plan because you are not restricted in a choice of services and additional mods.

You make a right choice taking into consideration disk space and bandwidth.

You may count a disk space easily: you should know how much GB your site consumes and than add 20-30% to the received amount more. Besides, don't forget that your site will grow (that's why we added these 20-30%) therefor try to take it into account.

As for bandwidth you may count it like that: you should multiply your site (with graphics, scripts and styles) by the amount of the would-be visits on your site per month. You should add to the received amount 10-20% more. For example, the average site is 80 KB and a would-be amount of visits 10 million per month. Thus you should order 800 ? 900 GB of bandwidth.

In reality, you consume bandwidth less because static pages and pictures are cached in proxy servers and clients? personal computers.

Note!

As a rule, the hosting provider is the initiator of your moving to the virtual dedicated server. It happens when the host sees that your site overloads a server (being on shared hosting) or you need a non-standard solution that can't be done on the virtual server (for example, because of security.