When you start looking for the best VPS hosting plans, you will realize that only select providers offer root access. It is based on your web hosting provider’s decision of how much server control they feel comfortable offering you. Root access includes a lot of responsibility, regardless of whether you choose Linux VPS hosting or Windows VPS hosting in the USA. Let’s take a look at the ways root access can help you optimize your VPS web hosting.
What can you do with root access?
Root access offers the ability to customize the server to accommodate your needs as it provides complete control. If you want to install a feature, you are allowed doing that without asking permission from anyone. If you want to get rid of some aspect of your server and its functions, you can do that too. You can completely alter your server according to the requirements of your business. So root access gives you total control of your server. There is a lot of responsibility that comes along with it too.
A server is quite complex both from a software and hardware point of view. There are many elements that work together to provide optimal performance, which can come crashing down if any of them, are misaligned. So you do need the technical expertise and experience to run your server optimally with root access, or it could backfire big time.
What are the best ways to optimize your VPS with root access?
- Port management
Bots are responsible for the majority of cyber-attacks. Hackers put these malicious programs together to attack websites and get a hold of their entire database. These bots can easily accomplish this due to the negligence of website owners to keep their ports close or change them. There are two ways to keep such attacks at bay.
The first one includes keeping a check on all the ports that are not being used and closing them promptly. It will help lower the vulnerabilities that explored. It can be easily done when you have root access. You access your server to find out all the open ports that are not being put to any use and close them.
Next, you can also alter the default listening ports. If the port has a certain number, you can alter it to another. Altering the default ports will stop bots from gaining access to your network and thus keep you safe.
- Regulate root access
This is one of the most vital responsibilities for you to take care of when you get root access to your VPS hosting server. Root access allows you to alter your whole system. However, if you are unclear about how to utilize them, you could end up damaging your system and its functioning beyond repair.
So you must provide root access only to users that know what they are doing and that require it. Keeping the group small will ensure that the potential for mistakes limited as well.
- Disable all hotlinking
Stealing bandwidth is known as hotlinking. It was accomplished easily. When they want a piece of content from your website on their own, the acceptable way is to download it first and then upload it to whichever website you want. Unfortunately, there are website owners who are not honorable. They, instead, choose to get the link to your content and then post it online.
So every time that piece of content is requested by a user, it is your server instead of theirs that will have to perform the action using your resources. The worst part is that it will not help you earn any more money or get customers. So you do not benefit from it at all. In case your website is huge with many resources, you might not even notice the thievery.
However, if you are just starting out, it will take a toll on the limited bandwidth you have. Root access comes into play here to help you disable hot linking to different types of content on your website. It makes sure that your resources are not spent on someone else’s website.
- Regulate applications that connect to the internet
Some applications require to connect to the internet to function, so they need online access. However, several apps still do not require internet access. So you need to ensure that the apps are not connected. There are threats lurking everywhere each time you open your system up to the internet. So the smaller the number of apps that have online access, the fewer the vulnerabilities. With root access, it is easy to disable internet access for apps that do not require it.
- Optimize your JavaScript delivery
When someone asks for access to your website, one of the files that sent is the JavaScript file. The browser will read it and then the content of your website will be displayed on the screen of the person requesting it. VPS root access allows you to alter the settings to help your website load and the JavaScript file to be read at the same time. While it does not substantially help boost the loading time of your website, it does increase it a bit, as the JavaScript does not have to be read by the browser again.
Conclusion
VPS hosting is one of the most powerful website hosting due to its features, cost, speed, and performance. Its most attractive trait is the fact that you can get root access to it so that you can customize it according to your requirements. Whether you are choosing Linux or Windows VPS hosting, you can benefit from root access to them both.
While choosing the best VPS hosting service in the USA, you should ensure that you get scalability. Advanced security, smooth performance, maximum uptime, and round-the-clock tech support. Once you find a web hosting provider that offers everything that you need, you can rest easy knowing that your website will function optimally.
Read Also: Cloud Backups – The Best Way to Protect Website Data
