Virtual Private Server Hosting

Virtual private servers are pretty big in the hosting industry, and it's no wonder why. They can give you the kind of options and freedom you get with a dedicated server, usually for a lot less money. The trouble is, there's a lot more to picking a good VPS provider than looking at what they're charging you. There are a couple things you need to look at, in particular, that will greatly impact whether your experience with your VPS is a positive one or a negative one.
 
To start with, what kind of resources are they giving you? Be wary of anything that claims you get 'unlimited' anything- servers are finite machines, they can't give you unlimited disk space or bandwidth without throttling your service at some point, or allowing your site to impact the performance of other sites on the same physical server. Most VPS plans will clearly spell out exactly how much bandwidth, storage space, and CPU power you're entitled to with your VPS plan. Choose a provider that's upfront with exactly what they're giving you for your money.
 
Next, look at their server uptime statistics. This will dictate how often your site is available to your audience, and the closer their number is to 100%, the better it is for you. The hosting ndustry standard is 99.8% server uptime, but most hosts now offer 99.9% or higher. Of course, it's not always a good idea to take a hosting providers word for what kind of uptime they offer. It's a good idea to do your own independent research when it comes to server uptime stats. Scout around message boards, do a few searches, and see what a hosting provider's customers have to say about the server reliability they've experienced. 
 
After that, make sure you read the fine print about what kind of managing or monitoring they offer with their VPS plans. Generally, hosting companies that offer fully or partially managed virtual servers make sure to use that fact as a selling point. If a VPS plan seems unusually inexpensive for all of the resources they're offering you, make sure the provider is giving you the level of management and monitoring that you want. If you're experienced with servers, you can choose a cheap plan that's self managed. If you aren't, and just need a place to store your site, you should make sure you're picking a provider that will manage your server for you.
 
Lastly, how are they going to help you if you get in a bind? A virtual private server is more complicated than a shared hosting plan, and you'll probably need some assistance at some point during the way. Good VPS providers will give you a lot of ways to get in contact with them- a phone number, e-mail address, live chat, and ticketing system. Beware of a VPS provider that only offers one of these options, or you might find that you aren't able to contact them when you need them the most. 
 
Before settling on a VPS provider, comparison shop. You're paying them for a service, and it can be hard to get your money back if you aren't satisfied. By keeping these guidelines in mind, you'll have a much easier time picking a hosting provider you'll be happy with.