RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. This is a type of computer memory, which, in contrast to other storage devices such as hard disk drives or DVDs, allows the info to be accessed directly without reading the previous content saved within it. Anytime an app is launched, it's stored in the RAM, due to the fact that it can be accessed much quicker than if it was read from another media. In terms of the hosting service itself, extra RAM means that more web apps can operate simultaneously on a given server, particularly when they're resource-demanding and are accessed by a large number of people all at once. In contrast to a shared web hosting plan where the system resources of a certain account may be flexible and sometimes depend on what other end users consume also, a VPS includes a guaranteed amount of RAM that can be used all the time. That memory is allotted to one hosting server only and will not be used by other customers even in case it's not being used.