We have helped thousands of customers move from virtual hosting to VPS. So today we will share our own experience so that you know what to be prepared for and what not to worry about.
When should you switch from hosting to VPS?
Your website has started to process more traffic.
If your project is growing organically, there is really only one option — switch to VPS. When traffic grows spontaneously, during an advertising campaign, for example, you can simply purchase additional resources or switch to a higher hosting plan.
It is convenient when the host allows you to order the necessary resources. With us, in particular, you can purchase the “Resources X2” service for your hosting plan at any time.
You need more resources
This refers to resources for email, FTP accounts, databases, etc. On virtual hosting, their number is usually very limited.
You want guaranteed resources
A good host usually protects against overselling (reselling the same resources) even on shared hosting. However, on VPS, thanks to KVM virtualization technology, you have 100% guaranteed resources that you don’t have to share with other sites on the server. They are yours and yours alone.
The number of projects has increased
And you want to allocate a separate server for them. This is the most common case for web developers or web studios.
Individual server configuration is required
This is especially relevant for “heavy” applications, such as CMS. For such projects to work productively, fine server configuration is often essential, which is impossible to achieve with shared hosting
You need to install specific software
For example, on shared hosting, the use of certain programs and services is prohibited simply because there is not enough space for them, or the PHP version selected by the provider is one, and you need another. When you use VPS, you can download almost any software that is not prohibited by the hosting provider’s policy.
By the way, you can install the PHP modules you need on your VPS and, accordingly, use the desired version of PHP.
There are special security requirements on the server
In principle, most security issues with virtual hosting arise due to the shared IP of all neighboring sites on the server. If one of them has questionable or illegal content, then even completely respectable sites can be banned due to the shared IP.
Of course, you can simply purchase a dedicated IP address for your hosting account. Or you can choose a VPS, which will give you your own IP address by default. Then you won’t have to worry about neighboring sites being banned or vulnerabilities available on them.
What projects is VPS suitable for?
VPS (virtual private server) is usually used for projects with high workloads and special security requirements. In particular, SSD and NVMe VPS are ideal for:
- online stores with high traffic and a large number of transactions;
- applications: analytical platforms and ML (machine learning) programs;
- individual web developers and software and game development studios;
- SaaS companies;
- agricultural centers for precision farming;
- financial institutions using high-frequency trading algorithms;
- applications or websites in the medical field, including electronic health record (EHR) systems;
- online learning platforms;
- marketing agencies;
- content creators who need fast storage for video editing or rendering.
What is the procedure for switching from Hosting to a virtual server?
Switching between virtual hosting and VPS hosting services at HostPro involves ordering a VPS plan and then transferring your websites to the new service, i.e., the new server.
Important! During the migration process from one server to another, your websites may be unavailable for a short period of time.
Step 1.
Order a VPS plan. If necessary, you can consult with our support team about choosing a plan that meets your server and resource requirements. VPS plans available for order now: NVMe VPS, Hostpro VPS.
Activation of the paid VPS service will occur automatically after payment is received.
If you are not sure that VPS will meet your needs, take advantage of the 7-day free trial. Activation of the trial period takes from 10 minutes to 2 hours.
Also, if your website uses non-standard settings, please notify our technical support, and we will make sure everything works as it should.
How long does it take to transfer a website (or websites) from one server to another?
Of course, it all depends on how many websites need to be transferred and how complex they are. Transferring a single standard website to CMS, without any special tricks or non-standard settings, can take a few minutes. If there are more such websites, it can take around 30-60 minutes.
Another important point is the PHP versions. If the websites use different versions of PHP, then you will need to select the appropriate version of the control panel (cPanel or DirectAdmin).
Is there a refund when you switch to another service in the middle of your payment period?
Yes, if you switch from one paid service to another, we will refund you for the unused period (to the day) of the old service in favor of the new one. To do this, please contact our Sales Department.
Step 2.
Send a request to our technical support team stating your desire to switch to VPS.
Step 3.
Once the transfer and DNS server update are complete, you can delete the virtual hosting service in your Personal Account.
What should be done on the server after the move?
So, switching to VPS can be completely hassle-free, especially if your hosting provider’s technical support helps you with it. Now let’s talk about the steps that everyone who starts working on a virtual server usually takes.
Get access to the VPS server
To start working on a VPS, you first need to log in to it. After paying for the service, you will receive a letter from your hosting provider. It will contain the data for accessing your virtual server: IP address, username, and password. For remote access to the server, you can use one of the most popular programs:
FileZilla (for FTP connection) – on Windows, Linux, and macOS
Terminal (for connecting via SSH) – on Linux and macOS
PuTTY (for connecting via SSH) – on Windows
Total Commander (for connecting via SFTP) – on Windows
On Windows 10 and 11, you can install the Open SSH client and also connect via Terminal
Configure the VPS server and install programs
Once you have access to the server, you can work on it using commands in the command line. Here you can install the necessary software, perform the necessary updates, and make all network settings.
First, you need to install and configure the desired operating system and control panel, and change the default root password. We recommend choosing a strong password and not using the same passwords for different services, the root account, and email.
As for the control panel, it is better, of course, to choose one that is supported by your OS. For Linux and its distributions, almost any free (Control Web Panel or CyberPanel) or paid (DirectAdmin, WHM/cPanel) control panel will do. For Windows, use the Plesk control panel. A more detailed overview of server control panels.
On your VPS, you can configure a web server (Apache, Nginx, or LiteSpeed), install and configure a mail server (for example, iRedMail), install the necessary database, and other services according to your needs.
Keep in mind! HostPro technical support will help you with all the necessary installations and settings. We work 24/7, so you can contact us anytime: via tickets or emails. We do standard settings for free.
Further work with VPS
Those who rent a virtual server usually monitor its load, the amount of resources, and the availability of services themselves. With HostPro, this is not necessary. We offer round-the-clock monitoring of availability and load by our administrators, and if necessary, you can always check all performance indicators directly in your Personal Account.
In conclusion
As they say, Bon Voyage! We hope that your transition from virtual hosting to VPS with the help of HostPro specialists will leave only pleasant impressions. We also wholeheartedly recommend that you try our NVMe VPS and Hostpro VPS plans with double disk space and the option to boost your plan.