Monday 14th February 2011

If you are looking to expand your small business, you may need to upgrade your servers.

It is essential that you have a safe and centralised system to hold all your firm's data - but up-and-coming companies may not wish to be tied down to a long-term, inflexible contract.

Instead, a better option may be to have a look at the numerous virtual private servers (VPS) available.

These are essentially a 'slice' of a dedicated server, which can be expanded and upgraded as your company grows.

Virtual private servers are also easily customised to meet your firm's specific requirements. If you have big ambitions when it comes to your web presence, but do not want to pay over the odds, VPS hosting could be your ideal solution.

This type of server can be easily upgraded to manage multiple brands, domains, databases and accounts - allowing your online presence to grow in tandem with your business.

And while it helps to have a basic working knowledge of IT, you may find that a managed VPS solution is the perfect way to get started. With this option, your provider can help you with the initial configuration and give you the training you need to manage your server on your own.

Managed VPS solutions can also involve your provider shadowing your activities for a few weeks as you learn how to use Plesk, an easy-to-handle graphical interface - ensuring you get up and running successfully and are ready to run your system independently.

There are several different options available to VPS hosting buyers - you can choose from an entry-level Linux-compatible express package, as well as 30GB and 50GB offerings available with Linux or Windows.

As your business grows, you can migrate from package to package without any need to make IP or configuration changes - you can even request to add more memory if you require it.

Your firm can enjoy many benefits from fast VPS solutions, including more web space and high speeds. Your VPS hosting firm ensures that there is a maximum allocation of customers permitted on each virtual private server - guaranteeing high speeds and optimal performances.

Other benefits from opting for a Windows or Linux virtual private server include more web space, super-fast page loading and burstable RAM.

Regardless of your preferred software, your virtual private server can help you manage your sites, databases and domains without restriction. Setup is virtually instant - and you will be able to run custom software such as Magneto, Nvision and vBulletin.

You will want to make sure you carefully research all your options, looking for a high-quality VPS hosting solution. Your VPS solution should result in an improvement in the performance of your site and will make no compromises when it comes to network performance, visibility and uptime.

Web hosting firms that allow you to migrate your VPS hosting solution without any additional fees may be a wise bet - these companies also usually allow you to change or upgrade your package with no fees and minimal disruption.

Most importantly, you will want to seek out a VPS hosting firm that is known for its exceptional customer service.

Perks such as a guaranteed one-hour fix on hardware issues, remote desktop access, full root access and virtualisation updates are well worth considering.

Some providers can also help you with custom software installations and will offer round-the clock support. You should be able to contact your supplier via email, telephone or online chat to discuss your account during business hours - and out-of-hours contact details should also be made available to you in the event of an emergency or a server reboot.

Your provider may also offer support in the form of an online knowledge base to help you troubleshoot your own VPS solution and learn more about various topics - such as setting up email in Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird or on the iPhone - as well as offering general hosting tips.

Make sure you ask plenty of questions before you decide on a VPS package and provider. Once you have made your final choice, you can be confident that your web experience will be better than ever!

                                                                                  Source from the inthenews.co.uk