Virtual Servers - Frequently Asked Questions

Please review our answers to some of the most common questions about our virtual servers. If you do not find the information you need, please e-mail us at support@simplyhosting.cloud or call us at 0345 259 1234 Monday through Friday between 8am - 6pm GMT.

What is a virtual server?

A virtual server, also known as a virtual dedicated server (VDS) or virtual private server (VPS), looks and acts like a dedicated server, but is actually a part of a larger host. Unlike a dedicated server where the entire computer runs the server software, a virtual server shares hardware and software resources with other operating systems (OS).

What are the advantages of a virtual server?

Virtual servers tend to be more cost-effective and provide faster resource control, particularly in Web hosting environments. With a dedicated server, you pay for all the disk space and memory whether you use it or not. Virtual servers allow you to pay for only what you need. In addition, memory and disk space can be upgraded almost instantly, migration from one host to another is easy, and rebooting is much quicker than with dedicated servers.

What is included with a virtual server?

Our virtual server packages include features such as:

  • Up to 100 Mbps contended connectivity
  • 24/7 emergency support
  • Virtual server back-up options
  • 5 dedicated IPv4 from the start plus IPv6
  • Hosting in Tier 2 datacentres
  • 100% uptime guarantee
  • Optional SSD storage
Are there any downsides to a virtual server?

Since a virtual server does not get exclusive access to the physical hardware, applications that require heavy network or disk activity may not be suitable for this type of setup. Although the virtualization technologies we use are very good at ring-fencing memory and CPU resources, a virtual server shares a physical network interface and does not have access to the entire disk space available on a host.

What hardware do you use?

Our VPS hosts have 8 Xeon cores, 24G RAM and a RAID-6 array of 15k rpm SAS disks.

Which virtualisation system do you use?

We use Xen for Linux and MS Hyper-V for Windows.

Do I get ‘burstable RAM’?

Neither of the virtualization technologies we use allows burstable RAM for two important reasons: 1) physical memory can be allocated to one server one minute and another server the next, creating serious security implications; and 2) memory allocation on your server may be reduced, which can negatively impact the performance of some applications, particularly databases.

How many virtual servers run on one host?

Each host can run somewhere between seven and thirty virtual machines depending on the memory requirements of the virtual servers.

How many IPs do I receive?
Each server is installed with 5 unique IPv4 addresses. The first comes installed, but the remaining four can be allocated directly from your Simply Cloud control panel. If you need additional IPs, simply email us at support@simplyhosting.cloud.
Do you offer back-ups?

Absolutely! We use a fully automated image-based backup facility to copy and store the contents of your virtual server. You can take image backups on a daily, weekly or snapshot basis and schedule them through your Simply Cloud control panel. Request this service during installation or enable it from your Simply Cloud control panel if your server is already operational.

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