Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting providers offer access to computer servers with rentable virtual machines (VMs) that act as if they were each a unique server in and of itself. VPS hosting is a type of website hosting used to host websites in scalable virtual environments within a partitioned server. Through VPS hosting, multiple virtual instances can reside on a single server without interfering with other server residents’ website performance. VPS hosting is used by organizations that require more server resources than are offered in shared hosting plans, but do not wish to pay for the sole use of a server for dedicated hosting. Overarching server resources, such as available CPU, RAM, and Internet bandwidth, are shared by all accounts hosted on the server, while some portions of those resources are reserved for each VPS user. VPS hosting providers use server virtualization software to create each virtual instance within a single physical server, and often provide support for a variety of content management systems, web frameworks, and control panel software.
To qualify as a VPS provider, a service provider must:
Provide rentable virtual environments within partitioned servers
Maintain server hardware and Internet connectivity for hosting customers
Reserve portions of server resources for each VPS user
Allow users to manage their virtual environment through a digital control panel
