BUYER'S GUIDE · CHECKED 23 AUGUST 2026
DC Core and Fasthosts serve overlapping infrastructure requirements but use different delivery models. Fasthosts offers portal-led Cloud VPS and public-cloud products, while DC Core supplies managed infrastructure with an agreed operating boundary and its own secure-connectivity platform.
Scope: this page compares DC Core managed cloud primarily with Fasthosts Cloud VPS and the public-cloud route it refers to IONOS Cloud. Fasthosts also advertises a separate, tailored ProActive managed service, which is acknowledged below.
SHORT ANSWER
Cloud VPS gives buyers a unified panel, template-led deployment, dedicated resources and per-minute billing. Fasthosts Public Cloud is explicitly described as fully self service. That can suit teams with the skills and time to operate their own environment.[3][4]
DC Core starts with discovery, documents responsibility and can operate the hosting, network, monitoring, patching and recovery controls inside the agreed boundary. The customer normally retains its application and business data unless separately agreed.[1]
DETAILED COMPARISON
This is a service-model comparison, not a benchmark of raw compute performance.
Swipe horizontally to compare all columns
| Area | DC Core managed cloud | Fasthosts Cloud VPS / Public Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service model | Managed infrastructure with a documented responsibility boundary. The exact operating scope is agreed per workload.[1] | Cloud VPS is a customer-controlled portal product. Public Cloud is described as fully self service and is supplied through sister company IONOS Cloud. Fasthosts also promotes ProActive as a separate tailored managed service.[3][4][7] |
| Provisioning | Engineer-led discovery, design and validation before production responsibility changes hands.[1] | Cloud VPS advertises deployment in under two minutes through Cloud Panel. Public Cloud provides a visual Data Centre Designer and direct access to IaaS/PaaS services.[3][4] |
| Management responsibility | DC Core can manage infrastructure operation, hardening, network controls, monitoring and patching within scope. The customer normally owns application code, users and data.[1] | A Fasthosts explainer describes its VPS offer as unmanaged so customers retain maximum control. A separately contracted ProActive service can take a broader infrastructure-management role.[6][7] |
| Networking architecture | Private addressing and relay ingress can keep underlying compute unpublished. Approved customer-side agents normally make outbound connections to DC Core's tenant-aware relay platform.[2] | Cloud VPS advertises private networking, load balancing, firewall policies, DDoS protection and IPS/IDS. Public Cloud adds public/private LANs and managed NAT. These are capable controls that the buyer configures for the selected product.[3][4] |
| Public exposure | Public services can use secured ingress; management paths can use outbound-agent connectivity so inbound management firewall openings are not normally required.[2] | Cloud VPS includes IPv4/IPv6, custom firewall policy and private networking, and supports SSH/RDP and remote console access. The customer chooses and configures the exposure model.[3] |
| Backups and DR | Managed systems use encrypted backups and infrastructure recovery controls; frequency, retention and any RPO/RTO are documented for the workload rather than treated as a blanket promise.[1] | Fasthosts Public Cloud lists a Backup Service and automatic backups. The Cloud VPS page describes VM cloning and separate block storage for continuity. Buyers should confirm automatic backup, retention and restore-testing scope for the exact product ordered.[3][4] |
| Compute and storage | Compute, storage and network resources are sized around the workload and wrapped in the agreed managed service.[1] | Cloud VPS offers pre-sized dedicated vCPU/RAM/NVMe plans with block and S3 object storage options. Public Cloud also offers flexible CPU/RAM, block storage and object storage.[3][4] |
| Support | Support is tied to the contracted managed boundary, so an infrastructure issue can be investigated as an operating responsibility rather than only a platform question. | Fasthosts advertises 24/7 UK phone, email and live-chat support plus specialist server support. Buyers should distinguish product support from work performed inside their guest operating system or application.[5] |
| Pricing model | Scoped pricing combines selected infrastructure with the agreed management, monitoring, backup and support responsibilities. Quotes depend on workload and boundary. | Cloud VPS uses per-minute billing with monthly maximums and no contract; Public Cloud uses pay-as-you-go billing. Optional services and any managed engagement should be costed separately.[3][4] |
| Best suited for | Organisations that want a UK-led infrastructure partner to take defined day-to-day responsibility around a business workload. | Teams that value rapid self-service provisioning, direct administrative control and clear infrastructure unit pricing—or buyers separately engaging Fasthosts ProActive for a bespoke managed service. |
A fair caveat: “Fasthosts” is not one service model. Its Cloud VPS and Public Cloud routes are portal/self-service products, while ProActive is presented as a tailored managed service. A procurement comparison should establish which Fasthosts offer and contract is actually on the shortlist.
BUYING DECISION
Your team wants to provision quickly, retain root or administrator control and operate the OS, firewall, monitoring and recovery process itself.
You want the hosting and operational controls designed together, with named responsibilities and a service boundary that includes agreed maintenance and investigation.
A Fasthosts-hosted workload may remain in place while DC Core maps an approved private-access, monitoring or transitional management path around it.
Put a named supplier or internal role against every question. “The platform supports it” is not the same as somebody being responsible for doing it.
Who patches and reboots the guest OS, watches alerts and is authorised to make changes during an incident?
Who designs, reviews and maintains firewall policy, administrative access, identities and public exposure?
Which systems and data are protected, what are the agreed objectives, and who proves that a restore works?
Which migration, support, monitoring, backup, licensing, transfer and internal staffing costs sit outside the quote?
How to read the result: if your team is comfortable owning all four areas, a self-service Fasthosts product may be a clean fit. If these are the duties you want a supplier to own, compare the proposed DC Core service boundary.
Map the responsibility boundary →COMMON QUESTIONS
The contractual scope should take precedence over any public comparison page.
No. Fasthosts describes its Public Cloud as fully self service and its VPS explainer describes an unmanaged VPS model, but it also advertises ProActive as a tailored managed service. Ask for the exact statement of work and responsibility matrix.
Yes. Its Cloud VPS page advertises private networking, load balancing and configurable firewalls; Public Cloud also supports private LANs and managed NAT. The difference is mainly how those controls are designed and operated.
A bare Cloud VPS price and a managed-service price do not include the same work. Compare compute, storage, transfer, backup, monitoring, patching, support scope, migration and the internal staff time needed to operate the result.
Potentially. DC Core supports approved agents and transitional designs around third-party environments. Feasibility depends on the workload, administrative access, network controls and the responsibilities the existing provider permits.
Published by DC Core. Material claims above link to these first-party pages. DC Core pages describe DC Core's own standard service position; Fasthosts pages describe the named public products.
Important: competitor information is based on publicly available documentation and may change. This page does not compare every Fasthosts product, individually negotiated service or contractual term. Fasthosts and its product names are trade marks of their respective owners. Fasthosts is not affiliated with DC Core and has not endorsed this comparison. Verify current features, pricing, availability and terms directly with Fasthosts before purchasing.
COMPARE THE REAL SCOPE
We will map what it includes, what remains with your team and whether DC Core is a sensible alternative or operating layer.