What is Burstable RAM

We're looking for a VPS but not familiar with the term "burstable ram". The RAM offered is 384MB and burstable at 1GB. What does that mean?

 

Each Virtual Private Server has a guaranteed amount of RAM that it’s able to use at all times. At times it is possible that the usage may exceed the allotted amount of guaranteed RAM available, this is when Burstable RAM comes into play. Burstable RAM is provided to the user during times of high usage or traffic. This RAM is not in use by any VPS on a server and can be allocated to any VPS that may need it as long as it is available. So as long as those resources are available, you as a user will be able to go over that limit of guaranteed RAM.

In other words Burstable RAM is the RAM your VPS has the ability to use but it isn’t guaranteed to. Basically it’s for spikes in usage not consistent usage like Guaranteed RAM. For Example your if VPS has 384 MB Guaranteed RAM, and 1024MB Burstable RAM. This means that after you have used up your guaranteed ram, there is still 640MB Burstable RAM available for burst usage.

 

Thank you very much Larry. That is a terrific reply. You explained it thoroughly.

 

The max ammount of non guaranteed RAM on the certain web hosting account

 

Well put larry, everything in a nutshell

 

since it is not guaranteed, i guess it is okay to settle for a fixed ram in a vps server?

 

Each VPS offer comes with guaranteed amount of RAM. So that is amount of RAM you will definitely get for sure.