How do VPS's work? Never got into VPS hosting. What software/hardware requirements are there? Is it like having one piece of hardware and using some software like vmware to install multiple OS's on it? Can you use one licence to create several VPS's (if using windows)?

Thanks,
Matt

I havent really looked in to this be honest. From what I understand you purchase and install the software and then you can assign resources to each VPS and each is restricted to it's allocated resources like ram usage, disk usage.

Someone who is more familier with the process would be best posting here.

It is something I will be looking in to soon... so I best get learning

VPS hosting normally uses Xen or Virtuozzo, to provide for Virtual Operating System, that reside on top of another OS for the most part. Normally you use a high end machine with multiple cpu and Raid 5/10. The Virtual OS will guarantee, so much memory and or cpu cycles. It is a nice step up from shared hosting, where you have some dedicated resources. Performance is not as good as dedicated, but with Xen you can get pretty close.

Just what I wanted to know, thanks.

Thanks for adding extra info Rasputinj.

Thanks, rasputinj, and what's the difference between VPS and a dedicated?

A VPS is a stepping stone between a shared account and a dedicated server. You get assigned specific resources and can log on like you would to a dedicated server. The only difference is that several people have VPS accounts on a server which means you share resources with others although you are guaranteed X amount of resources and can burst to higher when available.

It's a cheaper option then dedicated and is the step up from a shared account. Ideal for those who are growing and want to be careful with outgoings.

VPS is layer between shared hosting and dedicated hosting. VPS will be the product of future because
* It Manages its own processes, users, files and full root access
* It has its own IP addresses, port numbers, tables, filtering and routing rules
* It has its own configuration files for the system and applications software
* It could have its own versions of system libraries or modify existing ones
* It can install its own application software or custom configure/modify root application software

VPSs advantages compared to a shared hosting service

* Guarantees CPU, Memory and network resources
* Full root access
* Install and manage your own applications
* Isolation and Advanced security
* Host multiple domains
* Manage your own web and mail server
* Start and stop applications
* Reboot your own VPS

If host don't oversell the resources of VPS node then you will hardly feel any difference between Dedicated or VPS. Ofcourse you are capped at resources to burst. But if VPS node is high end box like Quad core cpu / 12 gigs of RAM running on SAS or Scsi drive you can really feel the power of VPS.

I'd add to this that a reliable hosting provider isn't less important.

Thank you all nguys for very useful information. I guess it worth to bookmark.

Ok, then is VPS=VDS? I heard that VDS is a shared account with more resources assigned to each user, but myriadnetwork.com who offers VDS says they provide full root access.
http://www.myriadnetwork.com/services/vds_moreinfo.php

VPS = VDS, just a different terminology for the same thing, Virtual Private Server and Virtual Dedicated Server, each is a virtualised OS running on a server.

Sometimes VDS lack root access.

Then what makes it different from shared account? what's more shell access is often provided on shared account on clients' request, so I don't see the point of buying VDS with no root access...
I couldn't get is myriadnetwork.com VPS managed?

Myriadnetwork.com's VPS is unmanaged.