What can you do with a VPS?

What is a VPS and what can you do with it?
A virtual private server is a virtual machine (VM) that uses the capabilities of a physical server. That’s why a VPS falls somewhere between shared hosting and dedicated hosting – it’s the golden mean. What VPSs and dedicated servers have in common is the freedom to install applications needed for your project. The difference between the two is mainly in the flexibility and affordability.
A VPS is ideal for hosting your online project. You can think of your own website, a game server or even your own cloud with open source software such as NextCloud. Common business scenarios include a private mail server or file storage. Below we list 6 examples:

1. Host high traffic websites
A standard website with relatively few daily visitors will probably run just fine on a shared web hosting platform. However, when a project is growing strongly and attracting more visitors, you can consider hosting the site on a server. This applies not least to webshops with numerous pages and images to save and load. In addition, online shops occasionally have to endure a lot of traffic. Then a VPS is ideal.

2. Your own game server
Virtual servers are popular with avid gamers. Fans of Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft, League of Legends and other online multiplayer games host their own games with a VPS. This way they can manage all settings, upload their own mods, implement their own rules and invite friends to join. Game servers are usually hosted on dedicated servers, but cost is an obstacle for the average player. A VPS is then a good interim solution: gamers benefit from their own game server, while the costs remain within limits.

3. Host a VPN
With a VPN (virtual private network), you can protect important data from hackers and secure your online payment information by creating an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a remote server. All traffic is routed through this tunnel. Your IP and location are invisible, so you can browse encrypted and anonymously – great if you’re concerned about privacy and security. It is precisely for this extra peace of mind that many people choose to set up their own VPN, instead of relying on a (free) VPN service provider.

Ever used a public Wi-Fi network? In such cases, your data is at extra risk. A VPN on your virtual server also guarantees the security of your data in such cases. In addition, VPNs can allow you to access geo-blocked content, such as Netflix and sporting events in other countries.

4. Develop and test in your own space
Whether you develop apps for work or as a hobby, a VPS can be an important asset. This includes setting up test environments for your apps, developing code and fixing bugs before anything goes live. In addition, multiple team members can access the project in a central virtual location, which is a must if people all over the world are working on the same job.

5. Set up a VoIP
You can also host your own VoIP server with a VPS. That stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. That allows you to make calls over the internet so you can talk to people while gaming or just make phone calls worldwide. Perhaps a tip for advanced users, but the advantage of lower calling costs is obvious.

6. Install software on a VPS
Finally, you can install a variety of different applications on a VPS. If you want to start an online store, you can get popular applications such as Magento, PrestaShop and OpenCart. If you want to build websites, WordPress and Joomla are easy to work with. And you can get started quickly with tools for developers such as Docker, MariaDB and MySQL.

Is a VPS something for your project?
Does a VPS seem interesting to you for your next project? Then the next step is to find a suitable server. A Linux or Windows VPS from STRATO offers extra RAM for high performance. In addition, the virtual servers are hosted on a new platform, so that they have even more RAM and NVMe SSD storage. Users benefit from fast installation processes, short loading times in the control panel (GUI) and a KVM-based virtualization.