Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : VPS Hosting : VPS Tutorials : Is there a VPS tutorial for people moving from shared hosting?

[dvesh]

Ive been using shared hosting for some time (at servage, hostingplex) things are easy, everything is setup for you, all you have to do is upload the files via ftp , create database from the panel if required , life seems simple.
Time came for me to move up the ladder due to hosting limitations of shared. I run a simple php sql based imagehost site. I decided for vps as it seemed to fit in my budget, perhaps dedicated in the forthcomming months will be. I found a decent vps host who offered good price & seems to have a good reputation around here (tektonic)
The unmanaged account is a whole lot cheaper than a managed one, however going through some posts here , i learnt that VPS not really a cakewalk, things dont seem as simple as they were on shared. My needs are though pretty basic a database or two , php support ,webmail etc. Everything was available on shared via a control panel. Im overawed with VPS , a trifle confused as well , i would really like to know what i should know when i get a vps. How will things be different for me , etc . Would highly appreciate if someone sends me in the right directions.

[Rawan]

I am looking for such informations as well and to be honest with you, its preferable for you to start with a managed VPS.

Thanks
Kamal

[bubazoo]

agreed, but even managed, there are things I'd like to learn how to do..

like, ok, take PHP for instance

I have PHP 4.4.4 currently, but I needed to upgrade to PHP 5, for JSON support for one of the twitter plugins for wordpress, and the author hasn't figured out a way of doing it other then using JSON

so I asked my host to do this for me, but they upgraded me to
PHP 5.1.4 which is great and all, but no JSON support

I found out by doing a google search, that JSON support is built in to PHP 5.2, but I have NO idea how to upgrade to 5.2 on a VPS, since my host won't do it.

thats just one example of what I mean.

I tried running

pecl install json

from the command line, like they told me to do in the PHP Help channels, but that didn't work, I kept getting an error ./configuring json.1.2.1 during compile time, so I never did get it figured out.

this is why I say, a set of VPS tutorials on this stuff REALLY would come in handy. cuz I have NO idea how to upgrade PHP, apache, mysql, any of that, and I would like to learn, sure, but I have no idea HOW on a VPS, since Virtuozzo /cpanel based VPS's seem to be configured differently, it seems like, then regular dedicated servers, so what works for a dedicated doesn't always work on a VPS, and its frustrating sometimes.

because that 'pecl install json' command from a SHELL prompt, SHOULD have worked.

I mean, this is exactally why I moved from shared hosting to a VPS solution to begin with, cuz the hosting providers, they don't know how to install PHP with JSON support, they have no clue, and its been the same with other modules, so that is why I got a VPS to begin with, so I could install what I want to.

but it SURE would be nice, to have a tutorial posted, on differences between shared vs VPS, or even better yet, dedicated vs VPS, because most things that would work on a home server, or dedicated server, don't work on VPS's, and its aggrivating sometimes.

[devonblzx]

Your host would upgrade you to 5.1 but not 5.2?

That is a little interesting as it would usually be the same process just with the 5.2.X.tar.gz instead of the 5.1.X.tar.gz.

Did they give you reasoning?

[DevMonkey]

If you've used a popular commercial control panel such as cPanel or DirectAdmin on your shared hosting accounts then it would also make sense to use the same control panel with your VPS as you would already be used to it most likely. Then again, the admin end of a control panel isn't the same thing at all as the domain side eh?

[Lanny]

You may want to look into installing the free Webmin control panel. It will help you with a lot of administrative tasks.
www.webmin.com

Securing your VPS and keeping it secure, so it is your VPS and not someone elses, is probably covered in tutorials here on WHT and in other places.

[mch0lic]

I wrote a small part of tutorial, but english is not my mother tongue so I need someone who can fix all gramma errors. Any volunteers?

PS: file in *.doc format.

[unspecific]

mch0lic: Sure, contact me

[mch0lic]

please write me to mindaugas.bu[at]gmail[dot]com

[unspecific]

Sure, done

[tertius]

Let us know when this is done please

[Vinayak_Sharma]

For those who need a tutorial on VPS, actually you need to learn the OS administration, a VPS is just like a dedicated server (with little difference though), so if you have a Linux VPS you need to know Linux system administration, working with command line, compiling, installing etc. Same with windows VPS.

Although if you will do a good search you will be able to find good tutorials to achieve things that you want to do, like upgrading/downgrading installed components, installing new components/applications.

And when you are using some control panel, you will have to do things keeping in mind that it should be compatible with that CP.

[internetbrother]

I need same info

[m_abdelfattah]

Same here, but I'm moving from Reseller to Managed-VPS

[supportoncall]

hi,

If you are moving from shared environment then I will suggest to go for dedicated server rather than a VPS. Choose the OS with which you are well familiar. If you are having the standard control panel like Direct admin , Cpanle , Plesk with shared environment , you can choose the same on your dedicated server that will create an ease to administrate the things with your dedicated server.