How many resources does my VPS really need? CPU, RAM, and Storage Explained!

Perhaps you’ve moved your hosting business or created an app that is taking off. Regardless, a VPS (Virtual Private Server) provides the computing power necessary for such endeavors. But what exactly do those specs mean?

The most important thing to consider when buying a virtual private server is how many resources it will need. The amount of CPU, RAM, and storage you need depends on what project you want to run and what are its requirements.

When you're looking to rent a VPS, you'll be given several options. You can choose the number of CPU cores, RAM, and storage you'll need for your hosting needs.

And how do we decide which one we need? I'm going to explain in more detail these three key resources so that when it comes time to pick your VPS provider, you know exactly what to look for.

Resources. What are they?

There are three resources that your VPS needs in order to operate: CPU, RAM, and Storage. Each of the three provides a different function for the virtual machine (VM). The CPU is responsible for processing data and sending that information to other systems within the same network. The RAM is used as a temporary storage space for files and applications that are currently running on your VPS. Finally, Storage is how much space you have available on your server's hard drive or SSD (Solid State Drive).

So, how do I know what resources my VPS needs? While each VPS will have its own unique requirements for each resource, there are some basic guidelines that can help determine what kind of hardware is needed. Let's start with the basics.

What are CPU cores?

This is the main thing that you need to know about CPU cores: they are your main source of processing power. A core can execute instructions one at a time, while a multicore can do this simultaneously. The processing power of your VPS depends on how many cores it has, how powerful they are and what kind of tasks you want to run on them.

If you're using your VPS for simple tasks like monitoring, email, or a static website server then a single core will be more than enough for this task. However, if your website is getting lots of traffic or if you are running very complicated processes, for example, a game server or a complex multi-stack application, then having multiple cores would be beneficial because they can process more instructions concurrently, making the user experience more fluent.

We recommend starting with 2 CPU cores, which should be enough for most use cases where resource usage isn't too extreme. In our experience, VPSes with 2-4 CPU cores performs optimally for the majority of users.

What is RAM?

RAM, which stands for Random Access Memory, is a type of storage used to store data that you actively use. It's where the operating system, programs, and files are stored while you're using them (they are cached). When you open a large file or program, it's often loaded into RAM so that your system can access it quickly and efficiently.

RAM is volatile—meaning it loses its contents if the computer is powered off—so it should not be thought of as a permanent storage replacement (like an external hard drive). The more RAM you have, the more applications or processes you can run at once and the faster your computer will perform.

Here I have outlined basic RAM usage classifications to help you choose the right amount:

2 GBs of RAM:
Generally, this is the recommended amount of RAM required for most modern Linux operating systems to run efficiently. 2 GBs should be sufficient for a low-traffic cPanel server, MySQL server, or firewall proxy.

3 - 4 GBs of RAM:
This is the amount of RAM we recommend starting with. With 4GBs of RAM, you will benefit from the increased performance of your server, especially when it comes to running multiple processes simultaneously.

8 GBs of RAM:
This is our recommended amount of RAM for high-traffic websites, as well as any server that requires a lot of disk caching. 8GBs will give you plenty of breathing room for running multiple processes and caching data on the server.

16 GBs of RAM:
This is the amount of RAM we recommend for enterprise-level users and large websites. However, before upgrading even further, we'd recommend looking at the disk cache settings and application optimization.

32 GBs+ of RAM:
The ultimate. This is our recommended amount of RAM for extremely high-traffic websites and big game servers, as well as any server that requires a lot of disk caching. A 32GB server should give you more than enough room to run many multiple-process applications smoothly and process large amounts of data quickly. Before upgrading further, you'd want to consider using a CDN to even off the traffic spikes your application might receive. You can also increase server performance by making sure that the load is distributed evenly across many servers, which will help to speed up your site's responsiveness to customers.

What is storage?

Storage is how much data you can keep on your VPS. It's similar to disk space in a personal computer; however, unlike with home computers where the entire disk belongs to you, storage for VPSs is allocated to small partitions.

Storage usage guidelines: We recommend using at least 10GB of storage when setting up your VPS. This should be enough space for you to install the operating system of choice, and some applications and store files while keeping your server running smoothly. We recommend checking pre-requirements on the application website before you install the application or consult a developer/system administrator.

You can estimate your usage by adding together your actual consumption and any additional recommendations made by the application. You should also add some extra capacity—around 15 - 25% of average daily usage as a buffer for unpredictable spikes in demand.

Example scenario:

1. I need 10 GBs to install my operating system
2. My cPanel server will need an additional 20 GBs
3. My websites currently use 5 GBs.
4. I expect to increase my usage by about 10GBs per year with additional website modifications and updates.
5. Lastly I am adding a 15% buffer, to allow me extra time to upgrade later.

Total: 45 GBs + 15% = ~ 50GBs

What is bandwidth?

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be sent over a connection, measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). Traffic is the connection speed sent and received over the internet in a given period of time. All Noxity Virtual Servers come with 20 Gbps incoming and up to 16 Gbps outgoing port speeds.

The following example shows how much traffic you can expect to use based on your plan's allocated bandwidth:

If you have a 1TB/month plan and use 750 GBs of traffic every month, the remaining 250 GBs will be available for outgoing connections. To stay on the safe side, it's best to monitor your bandwidth usage and upgrade if you know you will overuse your traffic limits.

How does Noxity bill resources?

You will be billed for resources in terms of CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth on a monthly basis.

There is no minimum contract period required! If you have a server for less than a month, we will charge the hourly fee which will be added on to your monthly bill.

• CPU is measured in the number of cores.
• RAM & storage are measured in GBs.
• Bandwidth is allocated in Gbps.
• Traffic usage is measured by TBs.

Your bandwidth usage will be based on the highest amount of either incoming or outgoing traffic.

If you use 200 GBs in incoming and 400 GBs in outgoing, we will only measure your usage at 400 GBs.

Additionally, servers within the same region (for example, North America or Europe) are pooled together. This means that bandwidth quotas calculated on a monthly cycle can be managed centrally rather than individually by the server.

Additionally, we charge for any over-usage and expansion options:

• You can purchase additional RAM at $3 per GB per month. (No over-usage fees)
• Additional traffic blocks can be purchased in advance at $3 per 3 TBs per month or $0.01 per GB for any current over usage.
• NVMe SSD/HDD block storage will be added soon with pricing based on the total amount of space allocated in a given "block" by the customer. HDD blocks are expected to be available at $6-8 per TB and SSD blocks at $60-$80 per TB.

Where can I seek additional help?

If you need help with anything related to your VPS or its resources, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help! We will be able to give you the best advice on how best to use your resources and set up all kinds of things like email servers or databases that may be required by your application(s). This is generally easier than getting involved in technical matters yourself, because we understand the underlying technology, and can therefore provide more personalized answers for any questions that arise during the work with you.

You can also ask for advice from someone else who has experience working closely with these types of VPSes before: either another user who uses one within his own company/organization/etc. or perhaps even one of the techies in tech communities.

Conclusion

In the end, it is up to you to decide what resources a VPS needs. It all depends on your requirements and these three components are the most important ones when it comes to choosing the right plan for your business. If you have any questions or concerns about our services, please don't hesitate to contact us!