If you're thinking about making the move from web hosting to a virtual private server (VPS), get excited! Your website is about to be supercharged by the next step in hosting tech.

While migrating from one to the other might seem like a daunting process, we promise it isn’t. Especially when you’ve got a trusty hosting partner holding your hand throughout the process. But before you dive straight in, it’s important to be aware of those pesky pre-migration fundamentals…

What makes VPS different from Web Hosting?

A standard web hosting service is a shared resource – in other words, you’re just one of a number of users accessing the same server to bring your website online. And while they’re powerful pieces of kit, if multiple websites on the same server are experiencing spikes in traffic or usage, your site’s performance could ebb and flow.

Enter VPS. Rather than a shared resource, this is essentially your own chunk of super reliable, virtual hardware that powers your site and your site alone. That means you're all-but guaranteed great performance with no dip. Plus, you'll get greater security, customisable CPU/RAM levels and more scalability.

Is VPS the right option for you?

Of course, web hosting can be a great solution for business growth (with the right provider of course). So how do you really know what the right move for your business is? To help you decide, here’s a handful of scenarios and problems that could be solved by the magic of VPS:

  • Your business, website traffic or resource demands have grown.
  • You’re running specific programs that require optimum performance.
  • You want more security, control and customisation than your current package offers.
  • You own an ecommerce website that you can’t afford to go down.
  • You want to customise CPU/RAM to guarantee performance for temporary/specific events i.e. Black Friday or a big product release.

That being said, if you’re running a blog page that isn’t reliant on multiple programs, doesn’t contain sensitive customer data and isn’t expecting wild spikes in traffic, then you can probably sleep soundly with a web hosting solution. But if you have a more dynamic website or business that has grown and needs to handle more heat, then a VPS could be calling your name.

Your pre-migration checklist

It’s always important to check your site before you wreck your site. Don’t worry, it’s not as serious as it sounds – this just helps you prepare for a smooth migration so you can hit the ground running without a hitch. 

Ask yourself these questions:

  • How much RAM/CPU do you need? 
  • What operating system do you want?
  • What will your DNS and domain settings be?

Then do these things:

  • Complete a file transfer/data-based migration
  • Understand how to configure the server
  • Set up security, firewall, SSH access and ensure SSL is pointing in the correct place
  • Test it before moving everything over to check it runs as intended
  • Secure ongoing maintenance if and when you need it

And away you go!

Move smoothly with Fasthosts

You didn’t think we were just going to leave you alone, did you? When you choose to migrate to a VPS solution through us, our friendly experts are there to support every step of the way.

Get in touch with our sales team to start your VPS journey today. Give us a call on 0800 0612 153 or message us via live chat.