VPS server / VHD

freeze4real

Hi Guys,


I need a VPS server to run a computer programme 24/7.

A mate from a mate told him about VHD which can do the job.

Any idea how it works ? and Is there a way to use a VPS for free.

Cheers

Fysh

Unless your friend means something different, I think he's got his wires crossed.

A VPS is a commercially-provided product - Virtual Private Server - where a hosting company running their own datacentre provides you will a virtual machine running as a guest OS within a virtualisation host.

A VHD is a virtual hard drive image used by Virtual PC - it's possible to mount and use them in Windows, but you would still need a virtual machine to run it, a virtualisation host, and the hardware support for the host to run 24/7. You could try just running a desktop with say ESXi as the host on it, but I wouldn't want to bet that many desktops have a thermal design or cooling good enough to let them run for weeks on end without hardware failure....

I would be very surprised if there's a legal cost-free way of accessing a VPS, since the costs in provisioning aren't trivial.

Another option you might find better is AWS (Amazon Web Services). It might be easier to try out and see if it suits your needs.

freeze4real

So basically there is no way to run a program from my pc virtually without paying money ?

FSL

If you want to run a programme from your PC just run it. If you want to run it using a different OS from the one you normally use the just install Virtual Box or similar and install the OS and programme on the virtual machine and run it.

freeze4real

FSL wrote: »

If you want to run a programme from your PC just run it. If you want to run it using a different OS from the one you normally use the just install Virtual Box or similar and install the OS and programme on the virtual machine and run it.

This programme must be in 24/7 and requires the Internet. Using a PC is costly.

vibe666

freeze4real wrote: »

This programme must be in 24/7 and requires the Internet. Using a PC is costly.

you can't run it on fresh air.

if you want to run a program 24/7 you either need to run it yourself at home or pay someone to host and run it for you.

generally, this means that running it yourself is going to be cheaper in both the short and long term.

you can either run it on whatever hardware you have now, or buy a low power pc specifically to run it on 24/7.

if it's a popular program like a media server app or torrent client then you may be able to find a low power NAS device such as a synology or qnap etc. that will do the job and use even less power than most low power pc's, but at the end of the day, the power required to leave a pc on 24/7 is comparable to leaving a light on, so it's hardly big bucks.

Fysh

There's a whole market for low-power internet-enabled computers that run 24/7 using home connections - a Raspberry Pi will give you more flexibility (while probably requiring more work to get set up) or, if you know that what you're trying to do is supported, something like a Plug Computer will get you sorted.

If you're looking to have some Windows-based software running 24/7, you're either running a server of your own at home or you're paying for hosting somewhere. Computers don't run themselves for free, especially not ones with costly (in resources and money) OSs like Windows.

unkel

If you need a windows environment, I have a fanless netbook that I bought for €20, running windows 8 24/7 and it uses about 11W

That's with the LCD disconnected

That's about €15 added to the electricity bill per year

freeze4real

unkel wrote: »

If you need a windows environment, I have a fanless netbook that I bought for €20, running windows 8 24/7 and it uses about 11W

That's with the LCD disconnected

That's about €15 added to the electricity bill per year

This might suit me.