15 parrots: choose a hosting provider for VPS / VDS servers
Elections, elections, candidates - hosting.
“ We need a new hosting ,” dawned on our boss in early spring. This was not a spring aggravation, it was an objective necessity, because the
So, I armed myself with the brain, Google, our requirements and began to choose the best VPS hosting, with which we are likely to continue our life. In the selection process, I got a good analytics, and I decided to partially upload it to Habr - what if it helps the same admin-sufferer? Enjoy my work, as they say.
Scrubbing the guts and as a result chose 15 hosting sites for the review. Including foreign. Go to the table of contents:
- 1cloud
- Arubacloud
- Cloud4y
- Cloudlite
- Firstvds
- Godaddy
- Ihor
- Ovh
- RUVDS
- Servers.ru
- Timeweb
- UltraVDS
- Vps.net
- Yandex Compute Cloud
- Inoventica
→ Summary.
The purpose of testing is to measure disk performance, network and benchmarks in AIDA64. AIDA64 was not chosen randomly, as you can download it yourself and compare any hosting with your hardware, seeing how appropriate it is to place your application there.
Comparison will occur only in 3 parameters from the entire AIDA64 parrot park. Namely:
- Write to memory - write memory to random data. All modern instructions are used. Including the AVX-512. An indicator of how free the processor is for this job.
- VP8 - video encoding with the VP8 codec, shows how fast the processor is in single-threaded performance. The test uses instructions: MMX, SSE2, SSSE3 or SSE4.1
- FP64 - ray tracing. A whole fleet of instructions is involved in this testing: x87, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, AVX, AVX2, XOP, FMA, FMA4 and AVX-512. New processors should prove to be the most productive in this testing.
Two servers were rented for testing:
Server 1: 1 or 2 CPU cores, 2 GB of RAM, from 20 to n SSD
Server 2: 2 CPU cores, 4 GB of RAM, from 20 to n SSD
To get the correct absolute performance values, provided of the fact that hosting does not provide 2 CPU cores with 4 GB of RAM, extra cores were disabled through msconfig.
The network was measured on server 1. In fact, the most minimal configuration with Windows Server that was provided by the hosting. After that, the server shuts down. The measurement was repeated again, after 27 days.
The disk was measured by copying a 6 GB VHDX file from the C: drive to the C: drive, after which the server shut down. The measurement was repeated again, after 27 days. Screenshots of both measurements are applied only if the results were significantly different.
Measurement of performance took place on server 2 in two stages. The first 14 days, a baseline of productivity was established. After that, the AIDA64 stress test was turned on for 7 days, and it was turned off only for performance measurements. This is necessary to identify hidden restrictions.
Considering that the tests of the last week on virtual server 2 are an extreme scenario that no one will resort to, no one will mine on a virtual machine, the final measurement data was calculated according to the median. The results in chopped parrots are presented that way. The number of chopped parrots is calculated by the formula: "Parrots divided by the total cost of a monthly rental."
In addition to measurements and tests, I will make small notes on registration and associated processes, if there is something to pay attention to. Surely someone somewhere will see an advertisement or “order of competitors” below, but just in case I’ll remove all the links, and sort the hosters in alphabetical order.
1cloud
When registering, you need to transfer personal data and confirm the mail. To register on the site, I had to fill in only 1 required field, not including the form of payment. The price indicated on the landing is not final, in fact it is higher.
Installing a new server took 18 minutes 20 seconds. My measurement data is different from the hosting data (4 minutes 14 seconds).
Hosting blocks SMB, port 445. The OS occupies 17.8 GB (versus 9.87 reference). Bandwidth 10 megabits per second. The network speed was 10 megabits per second in both directions.
You can make breakpoints aka snapshots and manage backups. Snapshots older than 7 days are deleted. The service costs 200 ₽ per month for 1 snapshot. This console does not reflect the current state of the virtual machine. If you turn it off manually through the OS, it won’t turn on in this console; it’s turned on for the system. Therefore, you have to turn off the power for an already turned off machine in order to be able to start it again.
Refunds are possible without any statements to the replenishment account. The application was filed on March 7. At the time of writing, no money was returned. To complete the test, I had to turn it off. However, it turned off by means of the OS, although it was not available via RDP.
The server used for the calculation was worth 2280 ₽. The number of parrots per ₽ cost was:
| Memory entry | 2,411 / 13 place |
| VP8 | 0.778 / 10 place |
| FP64 | 0.108 / 12 place |
| Memory entry | 5499/13 place |
| VP8 | 1776/11 place |
| FP64 | 248/13 place |
Arubacloud
When registering, you need to transfer the first and last name, address of residence, including zip code, phone number, confirm a bank card. In total, 10 required fields were completed.
Installing a new server took 5 minutes 40 seconds.
Firewall rules blocking SMB, AD, and RDP ports were found in the standard image. AD and SMB are blocked by hosting both in the external network and in the network of the data center. The OS occupies 11.2 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
The hosting provider provides a gigabit network at the lowest possible rate for VDS Windows Server.
You can order backups, load balancers, you can connect up to 3 switches, you can schedule a reboot, shutdown, power off, and also provide access to VMware vSphere Web Client.
Hosting refuses to refund.
The server used for calculation was 1825.27 ₽. Funds were written off at the bank's exchange rate.
The number of parrots / ₽ AIDA64 for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 12.31 / 4 place |
| VP8 | 1,143 / 5 place |
| FP64 | 12.31 / 8 place |
| Memory entry | 22478/7 place |
| VP8 | 2088/6 place |
| FP64 | 505/9 place |
Cloud4y
When registering, you need to transfer the address of residence, name and surname, phone number.
Installing a new virtual server took more than two days (!).
As a panel for managing virtual machines, they give VMware Director and this is very cool. But access to it disappeared twice - the password just stopped coming up. This is solved only with tickets to technical support.
I transferred my personal data to find out that SAS HDD and backups cannot be discarded, and the price in the configurator is different from the price in the landing page.
I waited for the processing of my payment for about an hour, and when I realized that the payment did not go through, I created a ticket for technical support. The next morning, the manager called me and explained that all sales are made through them, managers. He tried to pick up the check and said that he would deal with my issue. The question, apparently, was resolved, and the manager asked me a question by e-mail about which OS to put on my servers.
Apparently, for the convenience of customers, and not to increase the average check, an uninformative configurator was invented. Because as it turned out, to the amount of 6895.86 ₽, to install Windows Server 2016, you need to pay extra - for disk space and for backups. $ 1,614
Hosting refuses to refund.
Network speed was a record low of 5 megabits per second. The OS occupies 9.87 GB and fits in my standard of 9.87.
The server used for the calculation was worth 4471.48 ₽.
The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 6.135 / 9 place |
| VP8 | 0.546 / 11 place |
| FP64 | 0.189 / 10 place |
| Memory entry | 27435/3 place |
| VP8 | 2442/4 place |
| FP64 | 848/4 place |
Cloudlite
When registering, you need to confirm only email.
Installing a new server took 18 minutes.
Judging by the number of points in FP64 and VP8, the hosting provider uses the processors of the Core series, not Xeon. It will be even clearer if you look at all the reports that I have collected.
Network speed: 97 megabytes for downloading, 24.3 megabytes for downloading.
Hosting returns money within a week.
Hosting shapes disk performance in a very strange way. Normally does not allow recording more than 4 GB.
The server used for the calculation was worth 2528 ₽.
The number of parrot / rubles in AIDA64 for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 4,641 / 11 place |
| VP8 | 1,339 / 4 place |
| FP64 | 0,373 / 3 place |
| Memory entry | 11734/10 place |
| VP8 | 3387/1 place |
| FP64 | 943/2 place |
Firstvds
To start using the virtual server, you need to transfer the name and surname, as well as the phone number.
Installing a new server took 4 minutes and 10 seconds.
A virtual machine can only be stopped or started. However, you can manage virtual disks and the network. You can create a local network, connect a disk and boot your image. OS occupies 12 GB (against 9.87 reference).
The network speed was 100 megabits per second in both directions.
Hosting refuses to refund.
The server used for the calculation was worth 949 ₽.
The number of parrot / rubles in AIDA64 for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 11.73 (5th place) |
| VP8 | 2,151 (First place) |
| FP64 | 0.365 (4th place) |
| Memory entry | 11141/11 place |
| VP8 | 1817/10 place |
| FP64 | 347/10 place |
Godaddy
When registering, you need to transfer the name and surname, address (including zip code), phone number, confirm the card. In total, 12 required fields had to be filled out, but that’s not all!
Two days after registration, I received a letter saying that I am a suspicious type and that if I do not send the scans of my passport and bank card, they will ask me. Judging by the reviews on the Internet, this is not an isolated phenomenon.
Installing a new server took 5 minutes and 47 seconds.
There are many probes in the standard image. Including 2 extra users and 3 extra services (cloudbase-init and two of them are launched through Non-Sucking Service Manager). The hosting displays information on the consumption of the CPU, RAM and disk in the personal account. Their backdoors allow you to set your administrator password directly from the site.
You can create a local network, connect a disk and boot your image. The OS occupies 13.4 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
They withdraw money a week after payment. You need to get into the settings to turn it off. Hosting refuses to refund.
The server used for the calculation was worth 2719 ₽.
The number of parrots for the cost in AIDA64 was:
| Memory entry | 10.59 6th place |
| VP8 | 0.953 7th place |
| FP64 | 0.318 6th place |
| Memory entry | 28807/2 place |
| VP8 | 2593/3 place |
| FP64 | 867/3 place |
Ihor
When registering, you need to transfer personal data and confirm the mail. To register on the site I had to fill in 1 required field, not including the form of payment. The price indicated in the landing is incorrect - in fact, it is misleading.
It is impossible to deploy AD on the hosting, it is blocked by the hosting. All the memory on the hosting, apparently, is balun.
On virtual VDS with Windows, hosting installs evaluation versions of the OS. License for a fee (2650 ₽).
Registration of return is possible without statements within 10 days. He filed the application on March 7, the money at the time of writing was not received.
UPD
According to the director of Ayhor Hosting: to return funds from the panel, you need to write an application and send it a scan + a copy of your passport by investing in a ticket in which you left a request for a refund. Refunds are made within 10 business days after receiving the application for the wallet from which payment was made.
A separate link is provided for managing virtual servers. Standard on / off and restart buttons are available, and VNC, which I already called KVM.
The OS occupies 12.4 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
The server used for the calculation was worth 600 ₽. The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 0.697 / 14 place |
| VP8 | 0.331 / 14 place |
| FP64 | 0,051 / 14 place |
| Memory entry | 488/14 place |
| VP8 | 232/14 place |
| FP64 | 36/14 place |
The only provider whose results before and after shutting down the server are very different.
Ovh
When registering, you need to transfer the name and surname, address (including zip code), phone number, confirm the card.
In the control panel, you can register a PTR record. You need to complete the installation manually through iBMC, aka KVM, aka VNC, since we are on the welcome screen (OOBE).
The hosting allocates 3.9 GB of RAM statically and takes 100 megabytes for itself. About 4 GB on the landing, a lie is written.
Judging by the number of points in FP64, the hosting uses a series of processors Core, rather than Xeon. The average memory latency was 21.5 ns, which is not like the DDR4 ECC. Based on the FP64 charts, hosting gives 4 days of handicap for deploying all applications, and after that its real work begins. I recommend that you read the full table of results.
The OS occupies 10.9 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
The hosting has changed the paging file size to 512 MB. Hosting blocks SMB. To complete the review, I had to persuade support to unlock my server, because my server was stopped for "attack on other people's resources." As an amplifier, LDAP, 389 ports was used.
I’ll miss this terrible battle between me and support.
Hosting refuses to refund.
The server, according to which the calculation was conducted, cost 1818.15 ₽.
The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 19.27 / 2 place |
| VP8 | 1,634 / 3 place |
| FP64 | 0.558 / 2 place |
| Memory entry | 35052 / First place |
| VP8 | 2972/2 place |
| FP64 | 1016 / First place |
RUVDS
When registering, you need to confirm the mail - this is the only required field (not counting the form of payment).
Installing a new server took 10 minutes.
A redundant service, redundant certificates signing this service, and firewall rules for this service (Hyper-V Server Manager) were found in the standard image.
The OS occupies a record low 5.82 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
The network speed was 500 megabytes per download and 100 megabytes for upload.
On, off, and reset buttons are available. You can order backups.
After completing the full refund, the money was returned on the 10th day after the application was submitted.
The server used for the calculation was worth 1166 ₽.
The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 23.17 / first place |
| VP8 | 1,635 / 2 place |
| FP64 | 0,571 / First place |
| Memory entry | 27017/4 place |
| VP8 | 1907/8 place |
| FP64 | 666/6 place |
Servers.ru
When registering, you need to confirm your email and pass the passport data along with the phone number. To get started, you need to bind a card. The cost of the operation is 100 ₽.
Billing - 100% postpay. Money is debited at the end of the month upon use.
Installing a new server took 22 minutes. In the standard image, 2 extra services (OpenSSH and Cloudbase-init) and an extra user (Cloudbase-init) were found.
The OS occupies 10.4 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
Hosting provides a gigabit network even at the lowest tariff - this is the only hosting with gigabit. Although no, Yandex also has gigabit.
In your account, you can order a backup and register a PTR record.
The server used for the calculation was worth 2,440 ₽.
The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 10.09 / 7 place |
| VP8 | 0.862 / 9 place |
| FP64 | 0.293 / 7 place |
| Memory entry | 24620/6 place |
| VP8 | 2105/5 place |
| FP64 | 716/5 place |
Timeweb
When registering, you need to confirm your email. And that’s it.
Installing a new server took 22 minutes. It must be completed through VNC, since after installation we get to OOBE.
In your account, you can order a backup and register a PTR record.
Return is subject to the removal of all servers, followed by account lockout.
Judging by the graphs, hosting resorts to server performance limits that consume even 50% of the total leased capacity.
The server used for the calculation was worth 1,610 ₽.
Attention! In this case, two cores are intentionally disabled. This company sells configurations starting from 4 RAM with only 4 processor cores, and they were disabled to match the configuration of other hosting services. Therefore, the comparison is not correct, and some multi-threaded results can be almost safely multiplied by two.
The amount of AIDA64 parrot rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 6.844 (8th place |
| VP8 | 0.866 (8th place |
| FP64 | 0.211 (9th place |
| Memory entry | 11024/12 place |
| VP8 | 1395/12 place |
| FP64 | 340/12 place |
Ultravds
When registering, you need to transfer personal data, confirm the phone number and mail. To register on the site, I had to fill out 12 required fields, not counting the form of payment.
Installing a new server took 2 minutes and 49 seconds.
A redundant service, redundant certificates signing this service, and firewall rules for this service (Hyper-V server manager) were found in the standard image.
The OS occupies 17.6 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
The network speed was 300 megabits per second.
After completing the full refund, the money was returned on the 10th day after the application was submitted.
The server used for the calculation was worth 1330 ₽.
The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 15.94 / 3 place |
| VP8 | 0.970 / 6 place |
| FP64 | 0.319 / 5 place |
| Memory entry | 21211/8 place |
| VP8 | 1290.5 / 13 place |
| FP64 | 425.5 / 9 place |
Vps.net
When registering, you need to transfer your name, confirm the mailbox, card number and phone number. To register on the site, I had to fill in 11 required fields, not counting the form of payment.
If you are going to try, then do not forget that 7 days before the end of payment you will be billed, which you will pay later. They will pay for it even if you do not have active servers. You can disable this in your personal settings: “Do not send me invoices”.
The server crashed on the second day of use. The entry remained in the system log.
Installing a new server took 11 minutes and 4 seconds, this differs from the host data (10 minutes exactly). The OS occupies 14.3 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
Network speed of about 400 megabits per second.
In the standard image, there was an extra service, extra certificates signing this service and firewall rules for this service (CYGWIN, Non-Sucking Service Manager) and an extra user, sshd and cyg_server. Both in administrators.
Hosting refuses to refund.
Attention! To get normalized values, two kernels are intentionally disabled. This company sells configurations starting from 4 RAM with only 4 processor cores, and they were disabled to match the configuration of other hosting services. Therefore, the comparison is not correct and some multi-threaded results can be almost safely multiplied by two.
The server used for the calculation was worth 3762.58 ₽.
The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 3,529 / 12 place |
| VP8 | 0.482 / 12 place |
| FP64 | 0,080 / 13 place |
| Memory entry | 13279/9 place |
| VP8 | 1817/10 place |
| FP64 | 302/12 place |
Yandex Compute Cloud
To take part in the mysteries of Yandex Cloud, you first need to register Yandex.Passport, enable SMS authentication, and confirm the phone number. To start a user, you need to register a new payer, confirm the card and transfer the name. To confirm the debit card, they shot and immediately returned a record low 2 ₽.
Installing a new server took 5 minutes. In the standard image, an extra user and service (Cloudbase-init) was detected. But there is nothing to worry about.
The network speed was 1 gigabit at the lowest possible rate.
I did not find information about the refund. Technical support is paid, did not contact.
VNC or KVM is not. A virtual machine can only be stopped or started. However, you can manage virtual disks and the network. You can create a local network, connect a disk and boot your image. The OS occupies 12.3 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
Due to the billing that they have chosen, the correct calculation of the cost under the same conditions as for the rest of the hosting is not possible. The total cost of my server for 3 weeks of use was 5104.78 ₽. From this amount I will proceed. I have chosen a reserve of 5%.
The amount of AIDA64 parrot rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 5.164 (10th place) |
| VP8 | 0.367 (13th place) |
| FP64 | 0.130 (11th place) |
| Memory entry | 27435/3 place |
| VP8 | 2442/4 place |
| FP64 | 848/4 place |
Inoventica (unrated)
When registering, you need to confirm the mail. That's all.
Installing a new server took 21 minutes.
The OS occupies 10.3 GB (versus 9.87 reference).
Acquaintance with hosting began with the fall. Immediately after this crash, 2 viruses appeared on the server masquerading as anydesk and sqlserver, I had to reinstall Windows. And even after reinstalling the OS and updating it, it still crashed and became infected. It crashed constantly, and due to the wild oversell, the OS’s memory loaded no further than on the recovery screen.
The launched Aida memory stress test, writing to memory, did not receive all 4 GB of RAM that I ordered, but received only 2.4 GB.
The network speed was 420 megabits per second for download and 62.93 for upload.
To return the money, you need to write a complex application in writing and attach a scan of the passport.
The review of this hosting was not given because it crashed every day. I woke up in the morning to check if the server was lying or not. I apply all the results that I received. Empty graphs do not include downtime, these are reports that were skipped at half an hour timeout. Stress testing of the hosting was not conducted.
I sincerely hope that this company will cease to provide services.
The server used for the calculation was worth 2190 ₽. The number of AIDA64 parrots / rubles for the rental price was:
| Memory entry | 0/15 place |
| VP8 | 0/15 place |
| FP64 | 0/15 place |
| Memory entry | 0/15 place |
| VP8 | 0/15 place |
| FP64 | 0/15 place |
Summary
Top Absolute Parrots:
| Memory write speed | vp8 | FP64 | ||||
| 1 | ovh.ca | 35052 | cloudlite | 3387 | ovh.ca | 1016 |
| 2 | godaddy | 28807 | ovh.ca | 2972 | cloudlite | 943 |
| 3 | cloud4y | 27435 | godaddy | 2593 | godaddy | 867 |
| 4 | ruvds | 27017 | cloud4y | 2442 | cloud4y | 848 |
| 5 | yandex | 26367 | servers.ru | 2105 | servers.ru | 716 |
| 6 | servers.ru | 24620 | arubacloud | 2088 | ruvds | 666 |
| 7 | arubacloud | 22478 | firstvds | 2042 | yandex | 664 |
| 8 | ultravds | 21211 | ruvds | 1907 | arubacloud | 505 |
| 9 | vps.net | 13279 | yandex | 1876 | ultravds | 425.5 |
| 10 | cloudlite | 11733 | vps.net | 1817 | firstvds | 347 |
| eleven | firstvds | 11141 | 1cloud | 1776 | timeweb | 340 |
| 12 | timeweb | 11020 | timeweb | 1395 | vps.net | 302 |
| thirteen | 1cloud | 5499 | ultravds | 1290.5 | 1cloud | 248 |
| 14 | ihor | 488 | ihor | 232 | ihor | 36 |
| fifteen | Inoventica | 0 | Inoventica | 0 | Inoventica | 0 |
Top chopped parrots:
Memory write speed | vp8 | FP64 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ruvds | 23,170669 | firstvds | 2.151739 | ruvds | 0.571184 |
| 2 | ovh.ca | 19,2789374 | ruvds | 1,635506 | ovh.ca | 0.55881 |
| 3 | ultravds | 15,9481203 | ovh.ca | 1,634629 | cloudlite | 0.373022 |
| 4 | arubacloud | 12,3148904 | cloudlite | 1,339794 | firstvds | 0.365648 |
| 5 | firstvds | 11,739726 | arubacloud | 1,14394 | ultravds | 0.319925 |
| 6 | godaddy | 10,5947039 | ultravds | 0.970301 | godaddy | 0.318867 |
| 7 | servers.ru | 10.0901639 | godaddy | 0.953659 | servers.ru | 0.293443 |
| 8 | timeweb | 6,8447205 | timeweb | 0.86646 | arubacloud | 0.276671 |
| 9 | cloud4y | 6,13555243 | servers.ru | 0.862705 | timeweb | 0.21118 |
| 10 | yandex | 5,16515893 | 1cloud | 0.778947 | cloud4y | 0.189646 |
| eleven | cloudlite | 4.64121835 | cloud4y | 0.546128 | yandex | 0.130074 |
| 12 | vps.net | 3,52922729 | vps.net | 0.482913 | 1cloud | 0,108772 |
| thirteen | 1cloud | 2,41184211 | yandex | 0.367499 | vps.net | 0,080264 |
| 14 | ihor | 0.69714286 | ihor | 0.331429 | ihor | 0.051429 |
| fifteen | Inoventica | 0 | Inoventica | 0 | Inoventica | 0 |
I summed up the 3 tables of chopped parrots and deduced the average. So, among foreign VPS hosting OVH is a clear leader, both in price and performance. In the overall standings he has second place. Among Russian providers, RUVDS took the first place, it is also the first in the overall standings - apparently, we will try to continue with it.
| Hoster Name | Average points | Final place |
|---|---|---|
| ruvds | 1,0 | 1 |
| ovh.ca | 2,3 | 2 |
| firstvds | 3.3 | 3 |
| ultravds | 4.7 | 4 |
| arubacloud | 5.7 | 5 |
| cloudlite | 6.0 | 6 |
| godaddy | 6.3 | 7 |
| servers.ru | 7.7 | 8 |
| timeweb | 8.3 | 9 |
| cloud4y | 10.0 | 10 |
| yandex | 11.3 | eleven |
| 1cloud | 11.7 | 12 |
| vps.net | 12.3 | thirteen |
| ihor | 14.0 | 14 |
| Inoventica | fifteen | fifteen |
→ All files with reports (4.8 MB)
And you know what I will tell you? My tests are hopeful - Russian hosting companies understand that life is changing, and you need to meet the requirements of business users and not be happy that customers themselves are flowing due to adverse conditions. So, there is hope for a real SLA! Will live :)