virtual private servers frequently asked questions

Questions

Virtual Private Servers Sales Questions

General Sales Questions

Answers

Virtual Private Servers Sales Questions
1. What is Virtual Private Server?
  VPS hosting sits comfortably between the low cost of shared hosting and the relatively expensive cost of physical dedicated servers. A VPS will allow you to have full root access to the operating system, this allowing you to have a truely customised environment for your website/server needs.
  
  Each VPS performs and executes exactly like a stand-alone server for its users and applications as it can be rebooted independently and has its own root access, users, IP addresses, memory, processes, files, applications, system libraries and configuration files.
  
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2. Why should I opt for a VPS package verses a Shared hosting solution?
  Virtual Private Servers (VPS) hosting solutions differ from shared hosting packages in that whilst there is a specified limitation on resources such as hard disk space and band width usage, other resources are allocated which normally are treated as `first come first served` with shared hosting. This means that with a VPS package a client has a minimum guaranteed proportional use of the processor and memory. Essentially with shared hosting you are susceptible to other clients usage patterns, where as with VPS you are guaranteed a minimal performance. One other important difference is that many aspects of shared hosting may be impacted by restrictions hosting providers place on their shared server packages to provide reliable services to all users on the server. VPS clients can customise many features normally controlled by the provider which enables greater optimisation by users.
  
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3. What is the difference between a VPS server and a Dedicated Server?
  VPS hosting solutions are virtual servers functioning within a single physical server. Thus multiple Virtual Environments (VE's) are operating on one the server at any one time. This does bring about greater user customisation and performance of service delivery when compared to shared hosting, however dedicated servers still boast the fact that all resources of the server are available for the user to fully customise and employ however they should wish. A dedicated server will always be the choice solution if you feel that your business or other hosting needs are absolutely paramount over everything. They are the most stable and reliable hosting solution available.
  
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4. So VPS solutions appear to have a lot more going for them when compared to Shared Hosting, why?
  All Shared Hosting services are fully supported, thus clients can call during our opening hours or send in support tickets 24 hours a day 7 days a week and be assisted with almost any aspect of their service. VPS solutions are not supported unless the support bundle is purchased in advance. This is because it is expected that VPS and Dedicated Server clients have a far greater understanding of the operation of those solutions and thus need less technical assistance. Thus those packages appear to be better value in face terms.
  
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General Sales Questions
1. How quickly is my subscription setup and ready to use?
  Almost immediately, we use an automated client management system which configures, sets up and provisions your account and subscription within minutes. Although we do use a security vetting system that runs several
  checks to ensure that you are who you state you are, and this can sometimes in rare cases slow the process down.
  
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2. What if I am unsure exactly which package to opt for?
  Our helpful and professional sales staff are available by telephone (0844 412 1060) or e-mail (sales@ehosting.co.uk) to answer any questions you may have, remember not to be concerned regarding your technical expertise, after all everyone learns something new everyday. It is our aim to ensure that you get the most suitable solution to your needs available and we pride ourselves in our honesty and geniality.
  
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3. What if I am unhappy with my purchase?
  We are more than happy to discuss any difficulties that you are having, if you feel after this that we cannot assist you with your requirements then don't worry, all of our subscriptions come with a no quibble 14 day money back guarantee. (excludes domain names)
  
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4. I am still unsure if I should sign up, I have seen packages elsewhere
  that seem to be better value?
  We make no attempt to hide our costs, and don't claim ever to be the cheapest. What we do stake our reputation on is our genuine passion for excellence and our commitment to serving your needs. Our packages are priced to reflect the service that we offer and as our existing clients would state, with everything in life you get what you pay for.
  
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5. Some ISP's offer a 100% network up time guarantee, I am concerned that ehosting don't do this, and wondered why?
  A 100% network uptime guarantee is exactly that, a guarantee that the network within local terms is available 100% of the available time. This does not normally include the server, connectivity to the data centre nor power, so they are worthless. In any event most ISP's Terms and Conditions of service limit their liability if they fall short on this anyway. We recommend that you check for the following when selecting a hosting provider, all of which ehosting provides. UPS and backup electrical generation facilities, redundant connectivity, server backups at least weekly. Importantly ask how often these services are checked. We have been load testing our backup power systems monthly now since summer 2005, and have any of our clients noticed? Well none of them have asked so we guess not. Fail safes are wonderful and look good on paper, but do they come through when tested?
  
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