VPS hosting stands for Virtual Private Server Hosting. All hosting happens on a server that acts as a house for a website. VPS is a server that relies on virtualization technology software that allows hosting providers to create several virtual machines on a single physical server. Virtual servers operate independently and they have their own operating systems.
A managed VPS plan does not require a lot from you since it is your host’s responsibility to configure your server’s security systems. They do their best to protect your account from cyberattacks.
Difference between a managed and an unmanaged VPS
Both managed and unmanaged VPS, provide a virtual server with guaranteed resources and a dedicated IP.
However, with unmanaged VPS, you will have a bare-metal machine that you need to set up and configure pretty much from scratch. As for a managed VPS, the server comes already set up, which makes it easy for you to focus on your project.
Managed virtual private server hosting allows your web hosting provider to handle all server-related issues which means you don’t need technical knowledge for you to use it. This gives you more time to focus on important issues like your business.
VPS hosting solves many problems that are presented by the cheaper shared plans. A virtual server gives you a completely isolated environment for your website.
This article will discuss the Pros and Cons of Managed VPS Hosting in Nigeria
A managed VPS saves you from spending a lot of time googling, reading guides, flicking through menus, and executing commands. Besides that, there are other advantages that can directly affect your website’s performance and your overall experience.
Pros of Managed VPS Hosting in Nigeria
#1. Faster performance
If your website has more CPU cores, memory, and disk space then you can be sure it is fast too. Many system settings and tools can speed up a server which means system resources are very essential when it comes to the server’s overall performance.
Your hosting provider’s specialists know how to tweak the server so as to utilize its hardware well and perform at its best.
#2. High uptime
Every website owner, wants their website to be accessible as much as possible meaning almost no downtime. Having a managed VPS hosting plan in Nigeria gives you a server under constant monitoring from a team of experts who are on hand to ensure that any problems that might arise are dealt with as fast as possible. This team of experts is always ready to help at any time and they have the expertise to identify and solve any technical issues before they can cause too much damage.
#3. Scalability
VPSs are created through a process called virtualization in which a portion of a physical server’s hardware resources are allocated to a virtual machine, and they remain reserved for this machine only.
This means you can rely on consistent performance at all times and you can easily add additional CPU cores, RAM, and storage space whenever you need to. In most cases, you won’t even have to reboot the virtual machine to complete an upgrade.
Managed VPS Hosting in Nigeria, allows you to take advantage of load monitoring tools that show you exactly what sort of server resources you are using at any given time. This means you can accurately predict when you will reach the server’s maximum capacity and act accordingly.
#4. Dedicated resources
With a shared server, many accounts have to use the same hardware resources. When one of the websites experiences a major traffic spike, the performance of the entire server may be compromised, affecting all other accounts hosted on the machine.
This is something you will never experience when using a virtual private server. VPS users all over the world (Nigeria included) get guaranteed hardware resources reserved for their server only and which are available all the time. This means that the service is even faster and more reliable.
#5. Customer service
When you go for a self-managed server, you do most of the things yourself. Your host’s support team will only fix any hardware or network issues, but if you get stuck at some point you are on your own.
You are given full access to the machine, which means you can install applications or tweak system settings. However, if you get it wrong and your server’s performance suffers, you will have to rely on your knowledge or hire a professional to help you out.
With a managed VPS, you don’t have to worry about any of the system configurations since the server comes already optimized for the best possible performance. When you are in need of any kind of help, your host’s support team is on hand to answer your questions, help you find your way around the server’s management platforms, and point you to the right resources.
#6. Advanced security
Having a managed VPS means that by the time you get access to it, the server is already configured and ready to start hosting your websites.
All managed VPS Hosting benefits from real-time monitoring, and they also come with specialized tools which are designed to secure your WordPress website, protect it from spam, and shield it from many other threats.
#7. Daily & monthly backups
in case your website goes down, a working backup could mean the difference between a quick and painless recovery and a prolonged downtime period.
Managed VPS usually comes with an integrated backup solution that takes care of everything on your behalf. All backups and snapshots are completely automated for you, and, ideally, they are stored on a remote server meaning a working copy of your website is easily accessible at any time.
A managed VPS is normally equipped with a facility for quickly restoring data. If you are struggling, you can always ask your hosting provider’s support team to point you in the right direction.
#8. Free SSL certificates
Some years back, SSL certificates were quite expensive and were generally used only by online stores and websites that handle sensitive information.
In today’s world, the number of cyberattacks has increased and the volume of sensitive information people share with websites is huge. Now an SSL certificate is very important such that, most modern browsers will flag your website as not secure if you don’t have one. You will also have a lower search engine ranking.
A few years ago, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, together with the University of Michigan and a few technology companies, founded Let’s Encrypt which is a non-profit certificate authority that issues SSL certificates completely free of charge.
This has made it possible for every website to have an SSL certificate. Although installing an SSL certificate might be challenging, with a managed VPS things are easy. This is because most of the popular web hosting control panels pre-installed on managed VPS platforms have integrated tools that automate the setup of Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.
#9. No hidden fees
Generally, managed VPS plans tend to be more expensive than self-managed VPS plans.
However, managed VPS solutions are equipped with quite a few tools that can be very important for project management. The tools cost money if you have to get them aside.
For instance, a self-managed server may be cheaper than the managed solution, but in case you need to use cPanel, you will need to account for the licensing fees.
You will also have to add a few premium applications that are not included in the unmanaged package, and the price difference may narrow down to the point where you have to calculate the savings and see if they’re worth it.
While doing your calculations don’t forget about the extra time and effort you need to put into running a self-managed VPS.
Cons of Managed VPS Hosting in Nigeria
#1. Expensive
Managed VPS hosting could be a bit more expensive as compared to unmanaged VPS hosting. Well, with the extra customer service and technical support included, you should expect their prices to be a little bit higher than unmanaged VPS hosting.
#2. Limited Storage
Most managed VPS hosting providers offer limited storage for managed VPS hosting. Apart from this, bandwidth may also be limited.
If you wish to monetize a website with high-bandwidth website apps, then your VPS plans should be modified to handle that load of bandwidth.
#3. Less Control over the server
With managed VPS hosting in Nigeria, non-techy business owners and other individuals have much less customization and control over the server. This is because the hosting provider does almost everything for the owner.
#4. Time-consuming
When you Request hardware or software installation through your host provider it may take time. This may slow you down on the projects you might have been doing on your website.
Why Managed VPS Hosting is the Best
The goal of managed VPS hosting is to bridge the gap between shared hosting and dedicated servers on three different fronts which are performance, price, and usability.
Although Managed VPS Hosting has its disadvantages, we can still say it’s the best since you don’t need any sysadmin experience or skills to take full advantage of the extra performance.
In addition to that, its guaranteed hardware resources and the dedicated IP makes for a faster, more reliable service, and because most of the server management tasks are covered by your hosting provider, we can still say it is the best VPS hosting in Nigeria.
We can also say the efficient use of hardware resources means that managed VPS solutions offer great value for money. A managed VPS hosting would be ideal for Nigerian companies that don’t have an individual to technically manage the server for them.
Conclusion
One major advantage of managed VPS hosting is that the hosting provider manages all the system work in maintaining the server.
Even when you are just a beginner website owner in Nigeria, it’s hard to ignore this type of hosting as an option.
Related: Shared Hosting, VPS, and Cloud Hosting, Which one Should You Choose
