The Top 5 Virtualization Platforms for VPS hosting

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A virtualization platform is necessary to provide VPS Hosting clients with ease of use and familiarity; it creates virtual hardware that lets the client interact with his VPS server as if it were an actual physical server with actual, physical disk space for uploading of files and programs. Some VPS virtualization platforms, or hypervisors, are recommended more often than others because they are faster, more flexible and use fewer resources. However, this must be balanced with the features that the VPS host wants to make available for its clients.

The following are the top five virtualization programs for VPS hosting…

Hyper-V VPS

Hyper-V VPS is a Microsoft product and is therefore usually the top choice for Windows VPS hosting. It offers complete virtualization for Windows servers, in which the client is presented with a virtual interface that exactly emulates physical hardware. A Hyper-V VPS equipped server is easy to use, and allows a client to work with a VPS account as if he were working with a dedicated server.

Open VZ

Open VZ provides simple, container-based visualization for VPS hosting applications. It is the simplest virtualization platform as it allows administrators full root access and use of commands. Open VZ uses the fewest resources and is therefore recommended where speed is paramount. Its ease of use and open source status makes it one of the most popular VPS virtualization platforms.

Virtuozzo VPS

Virtuozzo VPS is a proprietary product which is based on Open VZ and adds features including memory, disk and CPU upgrades without rebooting, as well as full user control. No technician is needed for reboots and startups, which makes Virtuozzo VPS the premier choice when convenience of use is key.

Xen VPS

Xen VPS is actually a paravisualization platform which is similar but not identical to a full virtualization program in that it allows for swap space to provide enhanced virtual memory and for the user to view the Linux boot process. It uses more resources than a full visualization platform and is recommended for quick but memory intensive tasks such as Java development work.

VMware ESX

VMware ESX is a reliable and full featured virtualization platform that can be used with its companion product Virtual Machine Kernel where paravisualization is desired. It is a powerful and fully featured enterprise-level product that is often used for leased servers that include multiple VPS accounts.