Forex Robots need to be trading 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, using your computer resources. Interruptions in the work of the robots may result in missed trading opportunities or money lost.
Sometimes, you may also be unable to restart your computer or make any action which may affect the trading platform's and therefore the robot's work. For example maintenance of your computer or new installations may have to be left for the non-trading days. This may be a little bit annoying sometimes.
You may also be afraid that other people will use your computer (like in example your kids). You may fear that they might accidentally close the platform of worse even, make a manual trade that will cause you losses. And what about a power shortage? What about the system being accidentally restarted? No limit to our worries.
Is there any solution?
YES, it is called a Virtual Private Server (VPS).
VPSs are computers based in large companies providing access to these computers for a monthly fee, through the internet. These computer are maintained by experts, have strong and updated security hardware and software like firewalls and virus protection.
They are working most of the week apart from hours of scheduled maintenance (and of course unscheduled, should any problem arise). You may access and operate these computers through any computer, by remote control (what is called terminal-operation).
You just need access to the internet, login using your username and password, and you operate your VPS. Now you may leave the VPS working, say with MetaTrader platform and a robot and close your connection with the VPS.
Therefore you may use your home computer as needed for anything, without worrying about your robot working in the VPS. Even when you turn off your computer it is working. These companies have generally power-backup so they won't be affected by power shortages.
There is a large number of companies offering these services. Of course several differences may exist between them and these may be important. We will review some of the important factors that you should check before deciding which will be your VPS provider.
1. Fee, of course, and price variability is great, just check them all before deciding.
2. Windows based, and not Linux based, MetaTrader and the Robots will need Windows, they won't work on Linux.
3. Maintenance hours: Trader-friendly VPS providers schedule all their maintenance duties for off-trade days, thus not affecting your trade. This is an essential point; you should not negotiate on this.
4. CPU speed.
5. Memory (RAM) available.
6. Traffic limit which is the amount of internet information that you are allowed to send/receive on a month. For Forex Trading you usually don't need a lot but if you plan to use your VPS for another activity you should find the one which provides the largest traffic.
7. Support, those companies having a good pre-marketing support may have also a good post-marketing, those not responding swiftly to your inquiries for sure won't have a good post-marketing support, this is essential.
8. Be sure that your VPS provider has power backup.
9. A plus if it has an automatic disk backup system.
10. A your-money-back policy if you are not satisfied, say, during the first month.
VPSs allow for easy trading and liberate your computer in order that you will continue to use it as usual, without limiting your activities. Every serious trader will find it extremely useful.
I suggest to every trader interested in VPSs to make his own research, the following is a help to start, should you be interested in VPSs.
VPS Guides from our friend C.K. Wong ( Fx trader from Singapore ) :
http://www.ckowyong.com/blog/members...r_mt4_v1.1.pdf
http://www.ckowyong.com/blog/members...r_MT4_v1.1.pdf
VPS services :
http://www.commercialnetworkservices.com ***** ( about 30 / 50 us$ per month )
http://www.commercialnetworkservices.com/VPS/Windows/Desktops/DesktopPlans.html
http://www.hostgator.com
http://omegasupreme.com
http://www.hostmysite.com/index.shtml
http://easycgi.com/services/dedicated.html
http://metatraderhosting.com
Bye
F
