Windows VPS is a powerful hosting solution that can provide you with plenty of resources and various features. You might have some difficulties finding the right Windows VPS hosting for your project since there are numerous choices.
You can also look into the best Windows Hosting providers to get a better idea of the offers they have.
In this article, I’ll explain why you should choose Windows as the VPS OS for you and give you a few things to consider when choosing a Windows VPS hosting. An excellent example of a hosting provider that has a variety of VPS plans is Hostinger. Go check VPS Hostinger.com to know more, and compare it to this breakdown along with other competitors to find the right option for you.
Why Windows?
A VPS runs on a copy of an operating system that gives customers unrestricted access to the operating system. There are two OS which it can run on – Windows and Linux.
Linux is the cheaper option. It’s free and has an open-source design. The control panel gives more flexibility, and you can get plenty of help from its dedicated community. However, you require more technical knowledge to navigate around the OS given it uses a CL-I.
Windows, on the other hand, requires you to pay to use their license. It has a more accessible and straightforward control panel, which is excellent for VPS beginners. You’ll get plenty of help from Microsoft’s IT support team should you run into any issues.
Another great benefit of using Windows VPS is the ability to get direct access to your VPS server through your control panel by enabling remote desktop access.
Windows VPS is excellent for projects that run on applications that are specifically designed for Windows like ASP.net and MySQL, and other Microsoft products.
What to Consider When Choosing a Windows VPS
Not all options are made equal, and you should consider different options to figure out what’s right for your project. Here are some of the things you should consider when looking for the right Windows VPS hosting provider.
What Resources Are Required
Your website will need resources like CPU and RAM to be able to run correctly on the server. Therefore you need to know the amount of those resources beforehand.
- RAM – The more programs are running simultaneously on your VPS, the more RAM your server needs.
- CPU – Choose a multi-core server with 14nm architecture to ensure optimized resource allocation for multitasking, resulting in a seamless performance.
- Storage – How much space you’ll have to work with when developing your Windows VPS-powered project.
Which OS Is Installed
Windows VPS runs on Windows Server OS, not Windows OS, which we see in computers. There are different renditions of Windows Server OS based on the year they are released. Hosting providers use various versions of this, with the oldest being the Windows Server 2012, still used today. Let’s take a look at the significant differences between them:
- Windows Server 2012 – Marketed as the “Cloud OS,” Improves Hyper-V functionality and allows it to be easily used with other cloud technologies.
- Windows Server 2012 R2 – Introduction of Desired State Configuration system and introduced the ability to use the OS on mobile devices.
- Windows Server 2016 – Introduced Nano Server, Network Controller, and enhanced VM systems.
- Windows Server 2019 – The latest Windows Server version introduced various critical new features like Windows Admin Center, Hyper-converged infrastructure, Windows Subsystem for Linux, Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, Leaner Server Core, and GUI interface.
How Good Is the Support
You’d want your website to be running at all times, so VPS hosts that provide 24/7 customer and technical support should be placed on your radar first. The support should be reached through several channels like email, phone, and other communications channels.
The host’s support team should find and solve your site’s problems as soon as possible after you contact them. Getting your website back running within minutes is a remarkable feat. The support team should also fend off any potential hacking activities currently happening on your website.
When looking at customer support, a good tip is by looking at customer’s reviews on the hosting provider. See whether it has an overwhelmingly positive or negative review and pay attention to addressing the reviews’ issues. It would be best if they didn’t outsource their support to get to fixing your website faster.
What Hardware Powers the Server
Take the time to research whether the servers’ hardware powering is reliable and meets CPU power and RAM speed needs. Check with VPS hosts for their physical server specifications and whether or not it is easily upgradable.
You should also always opt for SSD storage instead of traditional storage to store your VPS. This is because they are faster at rebooting, have much faster transfer speeds, and they are resilient when there are power failures. Having great RAM and CPU but no fast storage means that the two will be underutilized.
Scalability and Flexibility
It’s essential to know the upper limit and in-between plan options to see if you’re growing your site smoothly and without overpaying.
Check the plans of your hosting provider, read the detailed explanations of each, and ask them whether the plans can be upgraded according to your needs or not. If you expect your site to grow a lot, you should opt for a VPS host that provides easily scalable plans.
There are two types of VPS – managed and unmanaged. If you trust your technical abilities and feel like you’ll be able to get everything done as long as the server is up and running – go unmanaged. You’ll be saving money, and putting your skills to good use.
However, if you feel like problems might abound, and a forum or tutorial won’t be enough t to help you out, choose managed to host, as you’ll receive more in-depth specialized Windows VPS support.
Time to Choose
Now you know why some people choose Windows VPS over Linux VPS and the few things to consider when looking for the best Windows VPS. Those factors are:
- What Resources Are Required
- Which OS Is Installed
- How Good Is the Support
- What Hardware Powers the Server
- Scalability and Flexibility
It’s now time for you to choose the right Windows VPS for you. Remember to keep those factors in mind and always pick the one that brings the best value for money. Take your time to compare each VPS host, and don’t hesitate to ask them questions about their VPS plans. Good luck!
