VPS hosting is the right choice for you if you want more control than you can get from a shared hosting account, but you don’t need the power of a dedicated server. You are still sharing a server with other people, but you have your own virtual environment that they don’t have access to. What happens is the main server is split into smaller, virtual “servers”. In the end you get all of the independence and flexibility that comes with a dedicated server, without the larger price tag.

You need to be careful of a few things when you’re looking for a VPS host. You will find some of these features more useful than others. Here are some of the more important perks to be on the lookout for in your search.

Look into the hardware
Make sure you find out from any VPS host what hardware they are running. You should be sure they are running dual CPU, quad core Xeon processors. You should also be sure that the hard drives are RAID protected. Look for RAID 5 at a minimum, but RAID 10 will be faster and more stable.

Check the software
When looking at the various OS choices look for CentOS 4 or 5. You should also verify that you get full root access to your VPS so that you can run or install anything that you need to, within the hosts terms of service. You also want to verify that you can host as many domains as you think you may need. Also check that they offer the control panel that you like working with. If they don’t offer the control panel you use see what they do offer and if it will fit your needs. If not you may have to move on. You also want to make sure your VPS comes with at least 2 IPs. You will need 2 IPs to setup nameservers on your domain.

Don’t pay too long
You may also want to avoid paying in advance for hosting services. Even if they offer a better deal, you never know what changes a month will bring. To give yourself the most options you want to pay by the month.

For most sites, VPS hosting is a great option. Just make sure to follow the advice above.

Dallas writes about Registry Cleaner Trials.

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