Over the last few years, virtualization technologies have evolved significantly, providing businesses with an opportunity to leverage the power of virtualization to maximize their IT infrastructure utilization and minimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The ability to virtualize servers and to reclaim excess capacity with increased processing efficiency, better resource utilization, and significant cost reduction through consolidated hardware and maintenance has drawn the interest of businesses of all sizes. IT managers and decision makers view server virtualization as an important first step in a company’s journey toward enterprise-wide virtual infrastructure.
Currently, virtual dedicated server (VDS) hosting (sometimes referred to as virtual private server or VPS hosting) is the most sought-after hosting solution due to the guaranteed power and performance and sustainable business value it provides. Designed to help small and large corporate organizations reduce overhead costs and improve overall system performance, VDS hosting is one of the best solutions to fulfill growing business demands. This article will shed more light on server virtualization and VDS hosting by discussing virtualization options, the reasons Windows is a popular platform for VDS hosting and the key benefits that are causing so many businesses to opt for Windows VDS hosting solutions.
What server virtualization options are there?
Virtualization is a powerful software platform that is rapidly changing the way businesses operate. When it comes to server virtualization options there is a plethora of virtualization products available on the market today. Depending on your needs and budget, you can choose from free virtualization software solutions and commercial, enterprise-level software virtualization solutions. Moreover, if you need server virtualization for a specific task, such as hosting virtual dedicated servers, you should choose a virtualization product designed with that purpose in mind.
Let’s look at some of virtualization solutions available today.
Free virtualization solutions:
- VirtualBox – a powerful open source virtualization product for enterprise and home use. VirtualBox is easy to use and good for testing environments.
- KVM – a kernel-based virtualization solution for Linux on x86 hardware and is supported by most Linux distributions.
- Xen Hypervisor – open source virtualization software which can be used to run a long term virtual environment.
- QEMU – an open source machine emulator and virtualizer.
Commercial virtualization solutions:
- VMware – market leading virtualization software that comes in both small business and enterprise-level versions.
- Oracle VM – based on the open-source Xen hypervisor technology and supports both Oracle and non-Oracle applications.
- Microsoft Hyper-V – a hypervisor-based virtualization product for Windows hosts only but with support for numerous guest operating systems.
- Parallels Server – a powerful hypervisor virtualization solution for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Bare-Metal systems.
In summary, there are a lot of virtualization solutions to choose from. The right virtualization solution depends heavily on the operating system and applications you are using. If you primarily use Windows-based software and applications to power your business then VDS hosting on virtualization platforms from VMware or Microsoft is a valid virtualization choice for you.
What makes Windows a popular platform for VDS hosting?
As technology continues to change rapidly, small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly faced with the need for more powerful and reliable business hosting solutions. They require solutions that enable them to remain profitable and keep costs down. Due to these reasons more and more business owners are turning to virtual dedicated hosting as an ideal solution for their growing needs. Much cheaper than its dedicated hosting counterpart, VDS hosting provides companies with all the power, reliability, and scalability they need to stay competitive in an ever-changing market. VDS hosting comes in different flavors but for companies that rely on Windows OS to run their business operations, Windows-based VDS hosting is the best option.
Windows-based VDS hosting is primarily popular with individuals and businesses that require a Windows Remote desktop environment or need an Active Directory or IIS with stand-alone server functionalities. Windows VDS is also a popular hosting solution due to the ability to install and utilize different types of free, open source applications alongside native Microsoft technologies. This is a very useful feature in helping businesses reduce complex tasks and increase productivity. Although there are many VDS hosting options out there, Windows-based VDS hosting is one of the most popular hosting solutions due to its power, reliability, and exceptional value.
What are the key benefits associated with Windows VDS hosting?
Windows VDS hosting has emerged as a viable solution that fills the gap between Windows shared web hosting and Windows dedicated server hosting. Windows VDS hosting allows VDS hosts to offer a highly affordable and flexible web hosting service to businesses that have a distinct need for Windows dedicated hosting or have complex hosting requirements. So, how exactly can your businesses benefit from using Windows VDS hosting? Below are some of the key benefits you get when you choose Windows VDS hosting services.
Excellent cost value. A Windows VDS hosting solution can provide tremendous value to your business. Instead of having to purchase or lease a costly physical server as in a dedicated serve hosting solution, you can go with a Windows VDS and enjoy significant cost savings. VDS technology allows the cost of the hardware, software, and maintenance to be effectively distributed without compromising performance. Also, because the Windows server platform is designed to tap into existing computing resources, the customization benefits make a Windows VDS hosting solution quite valuable to most businesses.
Flexibility and control. Windows VDS hosting provides customers with a great deal of control and flexibility. With a Windows VDS hosting plan you have the option to add a virtual server or reconfigure an existing Windows virtual server. You also have the option to utilize various add-on scripts and install your own custom applications. In addition, Windows VDS hosting provides optimal resource usage and management. Much like in a dedicated hosting arrangement, you have full root access that allows you to deeply interact with the server.
A variety of applications. One of the key benefits Windows VDS hosting offers is support for ASP and ASP.NET scripts and pages. These application frameworks can only run on Windows-based servers since they are Microsoft technologies. Windows VDS hosting also includes support for Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Access databases. Aside from these programming environments, a Windows VDS hosting account can also be integrated with JavaScript, PHP, Cold Fusion, and other technologies.
Windows VDS hosting has many benefits beyond those mentioned above. This type of hosting also provides high availability, better stability, data protection, and disaster recovery. With Windows VDS hosting you get a robust, scalable, and affordable hosting solution that helps you better adapt to the changing needs of your business.
Reduce costs and improve ROI with Windows VDS hosting solutions from WebECS
WebECS, a leading Windows VDS hosting provider, offers reliable and cost-efficient Windows VDS hosting services to individuals, small businesses, and large corporations. Based on VMware virtualization platform, WebECS Windows VDS hosting solutions combine the scalability and high availability of virtualization with the power and guaranteed resources of dedicated server hosting without the high costs. WebECS’ highly-trained specialists with extensive knowledge of infrastructure virtualization can help you take the first step toward virtualizing your IT infrastructure.
With WebECS Windows VDS hosting services and professional assistance your business can dramatically reduce its IT expenditure and see a positive ROI in less than 12 months.
Experience the full potential of virtualization by ordering a Windows VDS hosting plan from WebECS today.
Visit www.webecs.com or call 1-888-993-2327 to learn more about WebECS VDS hosting solutions.
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