SliceHost offers a pretty nifty VPS service (comparable to Linode's, I
think). Not a lot of hand-holding (beyond some good tutorials), but no crap
to get in your way if you know what you're doing.
At this point, the only significant difference between a proper VPS and a
dedicated server that I see actually favors the VPS: With a VPS, you can
instantly adjust your resource allocations without the need for any physical
hardware changes; with a dedicated server, you're locked into your
configuration unless you want to pay your host to send someone to physically
swap out the parts.
I wouldn't look at VPSes as somehow below dedicated servers, since a VPS can
be just as fast as a dedicated machine (or faster in the average case, since
VPS hosts are generally going to have monstrously beefy rigs). Rather,
they're more flexible alternatives that have the physical hardware
abstracted away from your concern.
On Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 12:34 PM, Momma <mommahatesspam(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Here's how I look at it:
SHARED SERVER (Cheapest): You buy one or more accounts from an ISP to host
your domain(s). There may be 500 other user accounts on that same machine.
You have no root access and have resource limits like total disk space,
monthly bandwidth, number of databases, email accts, ftp accts, etc...
DEDICATED SERVER (most expensive): You lease an entire machine from a
service provider. For an unmanaged system (what I have), the provider puts
it online with the software you order and gives you the keys. You have
complete root access to the machine and no one else has access it to unless
you so permit. You are completely responsible for managing the server.
VIRTUAL SERVER (middle tier cost): Your website is very popular and you
are either exceeding your disk or bandwidth allocation, or your ISP is
going
to kick you off because you are using too much CPU and hurting his other
499
users. A dedicated server is too expensive or complicated for you to
manage
-- or maybe more power than you need. The next viable option is a VIRTUAL
SERVER. Instead of there being 500 indiv. user accounts on the machine,
there may be 10 total virtual servers. To you, it appears that you have a
dedicated server and have much of the control as if you owned the whole
machine. You can host as many domains, or use as many resources, as your
account allows. The actual root-type capabilities depends upon the virtual
server software being used. I believe Virtuoso is a popular package. Find
an ISP that provides virtual servers and see what system they provide and
google for more info on capabilities.
-----Original Message-----
From: mediawiki-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org
[mailto:mediawiki-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Steve
VanSlyck
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 12:18 PM
To: MediaWiki announcements and site admin list
Subject: Re: [Mediawiki-l] Who do you use for Hosting?
OK. Lemme see if I got this right.
There are two boxes in my living room. One in Larry and one is Curly.
Larry is a shared server and Curly runs some virtual servers. On the
Larry shared server everybody shares all the same apache settings like
memory limits and such, so Mo, Groucho, and Zeppo are kindof in lock
step in some (or many) ways. I guess here that the processor itself has
to manage conflicts and allocate resources
On the Curly virtual servers, Harpo, W. and Bill C., can "change" the
settings of their virtual server in many more ways. One can have a 500Gb
memory limit for some process and another can limit his to 5K. The
virtual server software manages conflicts and allocates resources.
Ignoring the probably incorrect examples I've given, is that generally
correct in concept?
Boris Steipe wrote:
Yes, but that box pretends to be several
different boxes all at the
same time. Each of those is "virtual".
On 27-Nov-08, at 10:35 AM, Steve VanSlyck wrote:
I don't understand how any software could run
on anything other than a
computer I can point at. How is this in any way virtual? There's gotta
be a computer somewhere.
Matt Browne wrote:
Real hosting is when it's hosted on a
physical box. Either a
dedicated
server or a shared server.
Virtual hosting is where a virtual machine hosts your site. So,
your site
would have a dedicated virtual machine, but this virtual machine
is on a
machine that hosts some other virtual machines.
2008/11/27 Steve VanSlyck <s.vanslyck(a)spamcop.net>
> Wot's the difference between real hosting and virtual hosting?
>
> Troy Wical wrote:
>
>
>> On Nov 26, 2008, at 10:08 AM, Matt Browne wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Just out of curiosity. Who do people use for hosting their
>>> Mediawiki
>>> sites?
>>>
>>>
>> I've used
JaguarPC.com for several years now. Their "gigadeal"
>> package sets the bar in regards to virtual hosting features and
>> cost.
>> Customer service has been top notch and I know several others that
>> have nothing but good things to say about them.
>>
>>
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