Choose the type of virtualization for the VPS server

Many factors must be considered while choosing a VPS server for work.  We want to help you to understand them, so we strongly recommend you to read this article. There will be told in details about one of the most important characteristics of virtual dedicated servers. We will talk about the types of virtualization, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Types of Virtualization

There can be distinguished two main types of VPS virtualization - software and hardware. In the first case, virtualization is performed at the operating system level. Moreover, all the machines in the system use a common OS core and they are not isolated from each other. Concerning hardware virtualization, it is more stable and productive one. So, let's consider each of the technologies.

Software virtualization

As we mentioned before, in this case all VPS work on the basis of a common core. As a result, all the operations are performed quickly and with minimal delays. In the vast majority of cases, software virtualization is implemented using Open VZ technology.

The main advantages of this technology is not only high speed, but also relative cheapness. At the same time, low cost can be attributed to the disadvantages of Open VZ. The fact is that many unfair hosting companies sell much more space on such servers than can be provided. This process is called overselling. Because of it, your site, which is located on the server, may fall out of the index of a search engine or simply get lowered positions. Therefore, do not chase too low prices for Open VZ.

You should pay attention to this technology if the site is visited by a stable number of customers, or you want to save money while choosing a VPS. Open VZ is a cross between conventional shared hosting and VPS with hardware virtualization.

An analogue of Open VZ is Virtuozzo. It is also a virtualization technology at the operating system level that does not resist load jump. It was developed on a base of Open VZ and it is used primarily for commercial purposes. This explains its high cost.

Hardware virtualization

The mentioned technology allows you to completely isolate all the virtual machines from each other, as well as allocate a specific amount of resources to them. In general, each server in this case functions as a physical machine. The main software solutions of hardware virtualization are KVM, Xen and Hyper-V.

KVM is the best representative of VPS with hardware virtualization. This is a relatively new development with simple functionality and extensive features. KVM can withstand the enormous load on the server while maintaining decent performance. Since all the machines are separate parts of the core, but not modules, many other advantages of the technology appear. While using KVM, you will have root-privileges. It means that you can decide which operating system will be installed on the VPS, when the OS needs to be rebooted and how to manage the allocated resources. As for the OS, using KVM, you can install Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, or even your own distribution package on the server. If necessary, you can also create a guest OS and VNC.

The main disadvantage of KVM is considered the age of the technology. It is too young, so users are afraid of facing with new problems. As practice shows, it happens very rarely. You can verify it personally by renting a VPS with KVM virtualization from us. In general, the technology is very promising and it is improving with each update.

Xen is a more expensive KVM counterpart. Additionally, the technology has almost the same functionality. As with KVM, you can install any operating system on the server and use the paravirtualization function. Each VPS uses its own resources and can be moved to another node if it is necessary. Note that recently, Xen has taken a focus on cloud technologies.

Hyper-V is the most unpopular type of hardware virtualization. It is worth noting that it is not a separate product, and by default it comes only with the Windows Server operating system. That is why you can use Hyper-V only in conjunction with the OS from Windows. In fairness, we mention that the program does not consume many resources, which allows the server to work stably.

When choosing a good VPS, do not forget to pay attention to the characteristics of the server (memory size, SSD / HDD, etc.), the country with the equipment located, and the quality of the technical support service.

When you purchase a dedicated server in our company HostZealot, you will get only the best. Our VPS are located on high-speed SSD drives that will instantly process any request. We also use the best type of virtualization - KVM. Note that in case of any problems and questions, our experts will immediately answer all the messages and give practical advice. They will also help you to choose the VPS configuration that will most closely match all your requests and needs.