12 ways you can use your VPS for more than just websites

Offsite Backup For Mission Critical Files

One of the most useful applications of a VPS is setting it up as an offsite backup solution. Using open-source software like Syncthing or Seafile a VPS can handle real-time backups of important files and databases.

This offers a secure and reliable way to ensure that crucial data is always protected and accessible, even if on-site hardware fails.

The flexibility and peace of mind this provides makes a VPS an excellent choice for safeguarding mission-critical files.

Private Mail Server

Hosting an email server on a VPS allows for complete control over email communications. Rather than relying on third-party services, a private mail server can be set up.

Free, open-source solutions like Roundcube are available to keep emails ad-free, and the confidential content of your client’s emails, including customer information and pricing, away from prying AIs.

Custom Tuned, Branded VPN

With the growing need for secure remote access, setting up a VPN on a VPS is another great use case.

Using open-source solutions like OpenVPN, a VPS can become a fully tailored VPN server with powerful encryption protocols.

Customizing the VPN for specific needs allows for a level of control and security that surpasses many off-the-shelf VPN solutions, while also saving money.

Additionally, branding the VPN provides a professional touch, making it feel more personalized.

Keep Your Ads Off My Assets

For anyone who creates and shares media, hosting video and audio files on a VPS can eliminate the frustration of ads that often come with using public platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.

Jellyfin is a free, open-source media server that lets you upload, organise and stream video assets. No ads are played before, during or after your videos. You can embed videos on websites and link to them from marketing materials.

This setup is perfect for company training videos or proprietary media, ensuring that sensitive content remains in-house and secure.

Streaming media takes up a lot of bandwidth, so our no-cap VPS is the perfect platform for this use case. If your videos are encoded in a standard, reasonable bitrate H264 container then you don’t need a GPU or hardware transcoding.

Blocking Ads and Services

AdGuard Home is a free, open-source DNS server software that can be installed on a VPS to block ads and control access to certain services or domains.

By pointing the office router to the VPS DNS server, users can block unwanted traffic on all devices connected to the network.

This feature is particularly useful for managing office networks or publicly accessible guest Wi-Fi, as it prevents bandwidth waste on streaming services or unauthorized downloads.

Streamlining Subscriptions To Essential Services

For those who want more control over their data, Nextcloud is a fantastic open-source alternative to subscription-based services like Microsoft Office 365, Dropbox, and Google Drive.

Hosting Nextcloud on a VPS allows users to securely store, share, and collaborate on files.

It offers a cost-effective, self-hosted solution that avoids the security risks and ongoing costs associated with cloud service providers.

Nextcloud’s flexibility makes it a valuable tool for managing everything from files and calendars to project management.

Securing Sensitive Information

Companies that specialise in security, like LastPass, are not immune to hacks and come at a monthly cost.

Free, open-source solutions, like Passbolt, can be used to add further value to a VPS by turning it into an Enterprise-grade password manager.

It’s an ideal solution for managing and securing sensitive information.

Using a VPS as a Reverse Proxy

A VPS can act as a reverse proxy server, providing secure access to internal networks or on-premises applications via the internet.

By integrating the VPS into an existing infrastructure, it can help balance loads, reduce server strain, and enhance the overall resilience of the system.

This setup is perfect for businesses that need a cost-effective way to improve uptime and capacity without investing in additional hardware.

Setting Up Automated CI/CD Pipelines

A VPS can be a valuable asset for software development teams by hosting Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

Using tools like Jenkins or GitLab CI, developers can automate the building, testing, and deployment of their code.

This not only improves efficiency but ensures that updates and new features are rolled out securely and consistently, keeping development workflows smooth and streamlined.

Hosting Game Servers

For gaming enthusiasts, a VPS can be used to host multiplayer game servers for titles like Minecraft, CS:GO or Terraria.

With a dedicated server, users can control game settings, install custom mods, and scale resources as needed.

This is a flexible and affordable way to manage gaming environments, providing a unique experience for players while ensuring smooth gameplay.

VoIP and Video Conferencing

With the rise of remote working, communication tools are more important than ever. A VPS can be used to host a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and video conferencing system, offering a secure and scalable communication solution.

Free, open-source software like Jitsi or Asterisk can be set up on a VPS, allowing businesses to manage their own conferencing systems without relying on third-party providers.

Hosting a CRM System

Many businesses rely on customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and a VPS provides an excellent platform for hosting these tools.

Open-source CRMs like SuiteCRM or OroCRM can be installed on a VPS, offering a fully customizable solution for managing customer interactions, sales pipelines, and marketing campaigns.

Hosting a CRM on a VPS allows for greater control over data security and system customization, making it an appealing alternative to cloud-based services.

Final Thoughts

A VPS offers far more than blazing-fast hosting for your client’s main application or website.

By familiarising yourself with these additional uses, you’ll be able to show your clients the full potential of a VPS, and put yourself in a better position to win their business.

You can upsell VPS specification to account for the requirements of these services, and charge extra for setting up and maintaining the services themselves.

Reseller Hosting customers get big discounts on VPS, so explore your options today!