Hosting Virtual machines

Intro

A virtual machine is remote replica of a real machine, meaning that they have no direct relationship to any piece real hardware.
Virtual machines come into two major categories, based on the way they are used and the relationship they share with any real machine. A system virtual machine provides a fully functional system platform which supports the execution of an operating system (OS). For example a process virtual machine is designed to run a single program, which means that it supports a single process and one important aspect of a virtual machine is that the software running within it is limited to the resources and limitations provided by the virtual machine.


The main advantages of virtual machines are:

• Multiple OS environments can be run on the same computer, strongly isolated from each other.
• Disaster recovery solution, program testing etc…

There are several disadvantages having your website to be hosted, despite of the heavy cost that it may implies.

• You cannot usually use that php/mysql
• You do not have access to the web server logs, or mysql logs
• MySQL limited access (you have to go through phpMyAdmin)
• Unable to install the applications of your choice
• Unable to access pages or services on other ports than the port 80
• Inability (usually) to have an HTTPS site.

Hosting a website at your own cost is not a bad idea, but there are constraints:

You must leave your computer on 24/24.
The flow amount (upload) is minimal, so your site will slow. (Example: 100 kb / second flow amount at Free with Mega offers 24-bit).
Website poorly secured(your own computer is hacked).

Hosting Virtual machines

There is a new generation of hosts that is becoming increasingly popular: The hosting of virtual machines.


It gives you access to a Xen virtual machine placed on a server and a very high speed connection.
This virtual server has a certain amount of RAM and hard drive and a dedicated IP address.
You will install the operating system of your choice above (Debian, Suse, Ubuntu, Fedora ...)
You have root access on the server.



From there, you can do absolutely anything you want on the server:


Stop/reboot the machine.
Install a web server (Apache, lighthttpd, Abyss, or else!), Php, mySQL, Python, Ruby, Mono ...
Compile and install your own programs
Put all the services you want (http server, ssh, ftp, SMTP/POP3 ...)
Relocate a few minutes in the complete operating system (on request).
You can change your server on request (RAM, disk space ...)

Advantages

Total freedom on the server
You install what you want (Python, programs compiled by you, etc.).
You're running all the services you want on the ports you want.
You can stop/restart the machine whenever you like.
You have ssh access to your system drive (command line, file transfer ...)
You have access to a console that lets you regain control over your machine even if you have planted throughout the system.

Disadvantages

You must have expertise in system administration, because you will manage your system (installation and configuration of Apache, mySQL, PHP ...)
You are responsible for securing your server.

Hosting

Here is a list of virtual machines hosts:

Slicehost.com

Memory: 256 Mb
Hard drive: 10 Gb
Traffic: 100 Gb/month
OS availables: Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Gentoo, Arch Linux
Price: 20 $/month


Linode.com

Memory: 360 Mb
Hard drive: 10 Gb
Traffic: 100 Gb/month
OS availables: Debian, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Mandriva, Fedora, CentOS, Gentoo, Slackware, Arch Linux
Price: 19,95 $/month

serveraxis.com

Memory: 500 Mb
Hard drive: 50 Gb
Traffic: 400 Gb/month
OS availables: Debian, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, CentOS, Gentoo
Price: 35 $/month


tektonic.net

Memory: 256 Mb
Hard drive: 10 Gb
Traffic: 500 Gb/month
OS availables: Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS
Price: 15 $/month

rimuhosting.com

Memory: 96 Mb
Hard drive: 4 Gb
Traffic: 30 Gb/month
OS availables:Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL, Fedora
Price: 19.95 $/month

cheapvps.co.uk

Memory: 128 Mb
Hard drive: 10 Gb
Traffic: 150 Gb/month
OS availables: CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, Gentoo, OpenSUSE, Slackware
Price: 19.50 $/month

bitfolk.com

Memory: 120 Mb
Hard drive: 7,5 Gb
Traffic: 40 Gb/month
OS availables: CentOS, Debian, Gentoo, Ubuntu
Price: 8 £/month