|
Software for Success
The success of VPS accounts depends largely on the type of software used to implement them. Although the BSD jail is a simple and quick way to set up VPS accounts, it does not offer the same benefits more complex hosting software offers. SWsoft's Virtuozzo, for example, allows hosting companies to allocate system resources on a per-VPS basis. This allows hosting companies to offer service guarantees with their VPS products, thereby increasing the appeal of VPS accounts. Fluid Hosting is one of the companies migrating to the Virtuozzo solution.
"With the right software implementation, we believe there will be an increased demand for this," Tong says. "We have received many requests regarding our readiness to offer Virtuozzo."
The other advantage to using a software-based VPS solution is that it allows hosting companies the ability to offer a VPS service on multiple platforms. Fluid Hosting will offer the Virtuozzo product on Linux and FreeBSD platforms. NTT/Verio, which uses software developed largely in-house, offers VPS accounts on FreeBSD and Solaris. The flexibility of VPS accounts is their greatest asset. Both Wells and Tong see several new markets opening for the VPS services.
According to Wells, "One of the greatest market opportunities for the VPS is global expansion. There are many international markets that have not historically had an 'in between' option in hosting. The VPS offers more functionality and flexibility than shared [hosting], but less costly than [a] dedicated [server]."
Tong says the strength of VPS accounts is in the quality-of-service options.
"The current hosting industry is mostly based on virtual accounts in which one account is capable of bringing down the whole server - for example, a run-away script - or using up most of the resources, which degrades the server's performance," Tong says. "If all of these virtual accounts can be sand-boxed from one another, then the host will be able to increase its service quality guarantee by offering each customer the guaranteed system resources - CPU, RAM, disk [space] - in accordance to the customer's needs."
Allan Liska wrote this article for HostingTech, a web hosting magazine, and can be contacted at aliska@hostingtech.com
|
