How To Buy A Cloud Server?

A cloud server, also known as a virtual private server (VPS), is a service that provides online remote computing resources and data storage capabilities. It is typically offered by various cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure, etc., usually on a lease or pay-as-you-go basis.

You can think of a cloud server as a virtual computer dedicated solely to your use, where you have exclusive access to the resources within the entire operating system. Furthermore, you can easily scale up or down the resources as needed.

Cloud servers are primarily targeted towards businesses, developers, and individual users of all scales. They can be used for various applications, including but not limited to data storage and backup, website hosting, content delivery, software testing and development, big data analytics, and more.

Types of Cloud Servers

1. Elastic Cloud Server (ECS): ECS is a type of cloud server that can be rapidly scaled up or down. Users can increase or decrease server resources such as CPU, memory, and storage according to their business needs. It is mainly suitable for applications that require a large amount of computing resources and high scalability, such as big data processing, artificial intelligence, scientific computing, etc.
2. Lightweight Application Server: It is a type of cloud server designed for small businesses and individual users. Lightweight application servers usually provide pre-configured hardware and operating systems, allowing users to quickly deploy and manage applications. Its main advantages are simplicity, low cost, and suitability for running lightweight websites and applications.
3. Dedicated Server: Also known as a physical server or bare metal server, a dedicated server is a server that is exclusively dedicated to a single customer. Unlike the previous two virtual servers, a dedicated server provides users with all hardware resources, including CPU, memory, hard disk storage, etc. It is mainly suitable for businesses that require a large amount of computing resources, high customization, or have special security requirements, such as big data processing, game servers, high-traffic websites, etc.

Cloud Server Purchase Process

1. Choose a cloud computing platform.
2. Determine the type and select hardware and system configurations.
3. Make payment according to the billing rules.
4. Access and manage the server.

1. Choose a Cloud Computing Platform

The first step to purchasing a cloud server is to choose a reliable cloud computing platform. Here is a list of well-known platforms, both domestic and international:

2. Determine the Type and Select Hardware and System Configurations

Based on your requirements, choose the appropriate type of cloud server. For users who are new to cloud servers, it is recommended to start with a lightweight application server.

Data Center Locations

When selecting a cloud service, in addition to determining the server type, the most important aspect is choosing the data center where the server will be located. This means selecting the country or region where you want to create your cloud server.

Professional cloud computing platforms typically establish data centers worldwide to meet the usage needs of users in different geographical locations.

In simple terms, choosing a data center closest to your users can provide faster access speed and better user experience.

Operating System Selection

Depending on specific business requirements, it is generally recommended to choose open-source Linux distribution systems, such as Ubuntu Server, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, etc. Depending on the cloud computing platform, systems like Windows Server, RHEL, SUSE may require separate payment to be used.

3. Pay According to Billing Rules

After selecting the configuration, you need to confirm the order information and proceed with the payment.

It is important to note that different platforms may have different billing rules. Generally, they adopt a post-payment system where bills are generated monthly for payment.

As for payment methods, most service providers support various options such as credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, etc.

4. Access and Manage the Server

Once the payment is successful, the platform will automatically create the cloud server for you based on the configuration. After the server is created, you can access and manage it through the platform's control panel or via SSH.