THE VIRTUAL SERVER HANDBOOK

How the Virtual Server System

works

Virtual server technology enables us to partition a single physical server

into multiple virtual machines. This enables small and medium sized

businesses to distribute the cost of hardware, software, system maintenance,

and bandwidth without losing the power of a dedicated solution.

The Virtual Server System utilizes the following:

Updated hardware components

Fast network connectivity

Innovative software

Remote administration

Security solutions

Virtual Servers vs. Virtual Hosting

Essentially two types of shared hosting solutions are available: Virtual

Hosting and Virtual Servers. Though the terms seem similar, the underlying

functionality of the two solutions is very different. Your Internet site is

likely an integral part of your business, so understanding the differences

between Virtual Hosting and Virtual Servers impacts your hosting decision.

This decision that can be as important as choosing what content you place

on your site.

Web Hosting solutions consist of two components:

Hardware (CPU, memory, disk drives, etc).

Software (the web, FTP and POP servers, the e mail gateway, and any

third party applications such as CGI scripts).

Virtual Hosting

In a Virtual Hosting environment, the following weaknesses are apparent:

Hardware and software are configured and customized by the site

administrators (leaving the client with no control over how the Internet

services behave.

Each physical server has a single set of shared software applications

(leaving the client "sub letting" software that are controlled and

maintained by someone else.

Virtual Servers

In a Virtual Server environment, the following strengths become obvious:

Only the hardware is controlled by the site administrators (leaving the

software autonomous).

Software is controlled by the client (enabling the client control over the

core Internet services).

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