Despite having similarities in name, Virtual Private Server (VPS) and Virtual Private Network (VPN) are two different concepts.
A VPS (Virtual Private Server) gives you your own piece of a physical server, perfect for hosting websites or apps with more control and better performance. On the other hand, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) provides a secure, encrypted connection that keeps your online activities private and helps you access restricted content.
While they both use virtualization technology, they are designed to perform different functions.
In this article, we will look at the difference between VPS and VPN.
What is Virtual Private Server (VPS)?
A virtual private server is an isolated or virtual environment on a physical server that is owned and managed by web hosting providers. VPS uses virtualization technology to divide a single server into multiple private server environments with dedicated resources like CPU, memory, bandwidth, and storage space.
How Does VPS Work?
VPS hosting uses virtualization technology to split a single physical server into small virtual accounts. Each virtual account is allocated a specific amount of resources, such as CPU, memory, bandwidth, and storage space, these resources are not shared with other people on the server.
Although VPS accounts may reside on the same hardware, they function as dedicated servers, as the server resources are not shared among the parties on the same server.
Who can use VPS?
When users of shared hosting have exceeded their shared hosting capacities, VPS hosting is the next step forward. It is suitable for websites with higher server resource requirements, like e-commerce sites or websites that require high security.
If you're unsure about choosing VPS hosting, here are some reasons to consider it:
- All VPS accounts get dedicated resources. This translates into much better performance and increased reliability.
- VPS accounts exist in isolation which means more security and stability than shared hosting environment.
- With VPS you can easily and quickly scale your resources.
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network establishes a digital connection between the client (computer) and a remote server using a VPN provider. When you surf online with an active VPN connection, the VPN server masks your IP address. This ensures that the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other servers cannot access which websites you visit or what data you send and receive online. This ensures that your online experiences are private, protected, and more secure.
How Does VPN Work?
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how VPN works:
- VPN uses client-server applications on devices to route data through communication tunnels towards secure servers. Along the way, the data is encrypted, and an extra layer of security is also added.
- On VPN secure servers, your encrypted data is sent safely to its final destination.
VPS vs. VPN: Understanding the Difference
As you can tell by now, VPS and VPN are two different concepts. A VPS is a web hosting solution that can be used to host a website or application. A VPN, on the other hand, is used to keep your data safe and secure from online attacks.
When it comes to VPS vs. VPN, it's just a matter of choosing the right tool for the job. Think about your business needs, and what’s most important at this time, and make a choice.
