The Elixxir node selection process is currently ongoing through April 19th 2019. Users who will run the Elixxir BeterNet nodes will be eligible for running two nodes once the mainnnet launches later this year.
I have been seeing this project everywhere around the forum and I am a bit tempted to invest in the project, even if I have given up in so many new projects because most of them are out there to scam people and not to help solve a problem in the crypto space but I heard that this project is created by someone well known (David Chum) and I believe this would be a very good reason to invest in the project because of the status of the owner.
I have not tried running any nodes physically for any coins. But, running masternodes for few coins. As per the requirements of elixxir coin, I guess I must need to go for physical machine because the spec requirements for a machine is too much for getting through VPS provider. Hence, still thinking about opting this node or not. But, time is running for applying for becoming a node operator of elixxir betanet.