VPS and Cloud Computing – How are they related and what is the difference?

At first glance, it might seem like they are the same thing, since both options involve using remote servers and resources via the internet. But in reality, there are quite interesting differences between them that are important to understand, especially if you are thinking about where to host your website or application.

Imagine a large apartment building. Cloud computing is like renting an apartment in this building. You have access to all the amenities of the house – electricity, water, internet – and you can use them as needed. At the same time, you don't need to worry about how the whole house is arranged, how the boiler room works, or how the elevators are maintained. You simply pay for your apartment and enjoy life. The same goes for cloud computing: you get access to computing resources, data storage, software via the internet, and you only pay for what you use. Scalability here is simply excellent – if you suddenly need more space or power, you can easily get it, as if you were expanding your apartment by buying a neighboring room.

But a VPS (virtual private server) is more like a separate apartment in the same apartment building, but with some peculiarities. When you decide to buy a VPS, you are essentially getting a virtual machine that runs on a physical server along with other similar virtual machines. But unlike regular hosting, where server resources can be dynamically distributed among all users, your VPS has a guaranteed amount of resources: processor time, RAM, disk space. It's as if your apartment had clearly defined boundaries, and no one else could break in and take part of your space. You get more control over your virtual machine, you can install any necessary software on it, and configure the operating system to your needs.

So, what is the connection? Both VPS and cloud computing are forms of remote access to computing resources. VPS is often one of the services provided within a cloud infrastructure. That is, the very "apartment building" of cloud computing can include many "apartments" – VPS.

The main difference lies in the level of abstraction and scalability. Cloud computing offers a wider range of services and virtually unlimited scalability. You don't need to think about the hardware, how it works, and how it is maintained. With a VPS, you get more control over your virtual machine, but you also bear more responsibility for its administration. VPS scaling is usually limited by the capabilities of the physical server on which it is hosted, although there is some flexibility here as well.

The choice between VPS and cloud computing depends on your specific needs. If you need full control over the operating system and guaranteed resources, and you are willing to tinker with the settings a bit, then a VPS might be a great option. If you need maximum flexibility, scalability, and a wide range of ready-made services without deep diving into technical details, then cloud computing will be more preferable. In any case, both options open up wide opportunities for hosting your projects on the internet.