Virtual private servers or Virtual
dedicated servers are a form of virtualization that split a single
physical server into multiple virtual servers. The practice of
partitioning a single server so that it appears as multiple servers
has long been common practice in mainframe computers, but has seen a
resurgence lately with the development of software and technologies
such as VMware, Xen, FreeBSD Jail, User-mode Linux, Linux-VServer,
FreeVPS, OpenVZ, and Virtuozzo.
Computer security
Virtual private servers have also become popular for their ability
to establish sandboxes. For example, a single physical server might
have two virtual private servers running: one hosting the
production-level (live) website, and a second which houses a copy of
it. When updates to crucial parts of software need to be made, they
can be tested in the second VPS, allowing for detailed testing to be
conducted without requiring several physical servers.
Virtual private servers are also sometimes employed to provide
honeypots, allowing a machine to deliberately run software with
known security flaws. Because it is possible to quickly deploy
multiple virtual private servers on a single computer, honeypots are
much easier to deploy, allowing better insight into the world of
computer security.
Internet hosting
In the Internet hosting service industry, virtual private servers
fill a void between shared web hosting service and dedicated hosting
service, and are quickly becoming the main-stay of many hosting
companies.
They allow root-level access to individual clients without requiring
physically dedicated servers. They are most widely used by
businesses and individuals that need a customized solution that
cannot be filled in a shared hosting environment. |
