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Archive for February, 2009

What is ASP?

February 28th, 2009
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Active Server Pages (ASP), is a server-side scripting engine which allows web site developers to add interactive functions to web pages. Such dynamically-generated pages use input from the user to determine how a web page is presented. An example of its use would be to enable a web site visitor to log into a message board, or to give access to a secure database. When ASP is used within a page, then the usual “.html” suffix is replaced with “.asp”.

ASP was introduced by Microsoft as an add-on to Internet Information Services in 1996. It has undergone several revisions since then, with the biggest change occurring in 2002 with the introduction of ASP.NET, originally called ASP+. In earlier versions all scripts had to be placed inside HTML files; however the introduction of ASP.NET introduced full support for languages such as Visual Basic.NET. However, in-page scripting is still supported.

In order to run ASP scripts you will need to install an ASP server, normally either Internet Information Services or Personal Web Server, both from Microsoft. For non-Microsoft users there are some third-party implementations available that will allow users to run ASP scripts on a Unix or Linux server. Examples are ChiliASP or InstantASP.

Scripts used for ASP content are normally written in VBScript but it is possible to use other languages instead. Jscript is another Microsoft product that can be used and PerlScript is one example of a third-party language often used. There are several web sites that have collections of scripts available for use, often at no charge. Some examples are HotScripts.com or Scripts.com but a simple Google search will bring up many more. If you prefer to write your own scripts then this is fairly straightforward for a person with some programming experience. There are also many tutorials available on the Internet for those less experienced.

As mentioned above, ASP is a Microsoft product, although there are ways of running ASP on other operating systems. Having said this, you will get the best results when ASP is running in the environment for which it was created. This being so, it may be better to choose a web host that offers Microsoft-based servers. Don’t forget that this may also have other implications for your web site, such as your choice of database. You will need to check carefully to make sure that the web hosting company can provide full support for your database as well as ASP.

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To Choose VPS or Not to Choose VPS

February 26th, 2009
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Your website is small when you start. It keeps growing with the time, so the demands as well. It may require a server that isn’t affected by other sites on the same server.

Is a dedicated server or co-location the next step? Perhaps. But a VPS, or virtual private server, might meet your needs just as well while costing less.

How does a VPS work?

A VPS, also known as VDS (virtual dedicated server) is part of a server that has been partitioned. Each partition has a separate operating system and a guaranteed share of hardware resources (CPU, RAM, disk space). While the server has multiple operating systems and partitions, each partition behaves the same as a dedicated server ; but at a much lower cost.

When you have a VPS account, you have server root access for your partition, and the configurations you make don’t affect other websites on the same server. You choose the programs that you want to install, and you can install them yourself.

Shared hosting versus VPS hosting

Shared hosting is like living in an apartment building and sharing your neighbors’ problems. You hear their music through the wall. If one of them leaves the main door open, your security is at risk.

On a shared server, all the sites share the operating system and resources. Problems with your neighbors’ sites can slow down the server performance or require it to be shut down while the problem is being fixed. Or slowdowns may result from having too many sites on a server. Your site security depends in part on decisions that your web host and perhaps your neighbors make.

Depending on your neighbors and, to a larger extent, your web host, you may have few or no problems with a shared hosting account. By sharing the resources, the cost is more economical than for a VPS. And for a basic website, you require little or no technical knowledge to maintain your site.

The majority of websites are on shared servers.

VPS hosting is more like living in a townhouse with your own private yard, and without ever hearing your neighbors. The only common area you share is the parking area and entrance; all traffic goes through one network port. In contrast to apartments or shared hosting accounts, you pay more for a VPS, but you can do what you want with the space, and your neighbors’ problems aren’t your problems.

Advantages of VPS hosting

Compared to shared hosting, VPS hosting offers these advantages:

• You have greater control. With root server access, you can install the programs you want and configure them for your needs. You can reboot and back up and restore your VPS yourself.
• You have most of the advantages of a dedicated server at a significantly lower cost.
• You can host multiple websites and add the domains yourself.
• You have increased security by being autonomous.
• Only you and whoever you give permission to can access your accounts, databases, and files.
• Your site isn’t affected by problems with other sites on the same server (outside of your VPS) or by other VPSes.
• You can host clients’ sites and even offer private label reseller accounts.

Disadvantages of VPS hosting

• You are responsible for maintaining the server, including security and updates. When problems develop, you need to find their cause yourself and fix them. However, with a fully managed VPS, you can leave the maintenance to someone else.
• If you choose to manage the VPS yourself, the work takes a lot of time.
• While you have your allotted amount of hardware resources, you still share these resources with other VPSes on the same server.
• Compared to shared hosting accounts, VPSes are more expensive.

Making the choice

Should you move your website from a shared hosting account to a VPS hosting account? If your site has no problems on a shared server, the answer is probably no. On the other side, if your site is stretching the resources allotted to it, if the server it’s on is performing less than optimally, or if increased control and performance are concerns, a VPS Hosting may be the next step for your website.

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