By Daniel D Dwase

A dedicated host server also goes by the name managed hosting service and dedicated hosting service. The term 'dedicated' means the host server is not shared - only the person who leases it.

This is usually monthly and the one who leases it gets to use it as they please and pays for the setup and the maintenance fees.

This server is more flexible than its shared equivalent and you get to pick the hardware and the OS (operating system).

The hosting company can provide server administration services at an extra cost, but in most cases, once you have leased the server, you are the one to do the maintenance and everything else.

Dedicated Servers versus Shared Servers

Before going for a dedicated host server, you should compare it to a shared host server and you should go for the option that best fits your specific needs.

You should only consider dedicated host servers if you will generate enough money from the host server to cover the cost. You should also consider using a dedicated host server when you want security for your data, fast speeds and general high performance.

One advantage of shared host servers over dedicated host servers is the low costs. The low costs are because they are used by many people and although the cost of setting up a dedicated host server and maintaining it is the same as with a dedicated shared servers, the many users are able to share the costs.

Dedicated servers are too expensive for individual use - startup businesses should also use shared host servers.

Dedicated host servers are more costly, but you get the databases, the disk space and the bandwidth you want.

If you have some server space left, you can rent it out to other users. You have to know the benefits that a dedicated server is likely to bring to your business before making a choice.

Many providers of dedicated servers do not allow IRC (internet relay chat) because rogue IRC users are in the habit of triggering DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks against server providers.

This can overwhelm the networks of such providers and this lowers the quality of service for all customers. This means those with dedicated servers are not allowed to view adult content and other such content.

With a dedicated host server, you have total control over your website. This results in reliability, security, and stableness. This is important for companies that have to be online 24/7 - dedicated servers have a server uptime of up to 99%.

Security is a major issue on the World Wide Web since there are many hackers who engage in internet fraud. With a dedicated server, very few people have access to the server and since hackers only need one computer terminal in a shared server to access other computer terminals, dedicated servers are safer.

Providers will deploy different programs so that they can get every obtrusive invader, hacker, spammer, Trojans, eggdrops and other problems during regular scans.

Considerations When Getting a Dedicated Server

You should consider the resources you have at your disposal. This is because the monthly charges are high. There are other charges with dedicated servers such as having to pay a systems administrator who needs to be on standby day and night.

You should therefore have a budget and you should make sure the server will bring in more than what is being paid out.

You need to consider the security of the server - both software and physical security. The server has very expensive hardware and you should make sure it is housed in a secure room.

Rebooting or disaster recovery is very expensive and it can mean lost business and so you need to protect your data against corruption, virus, worms, Trojan horses, hacking, etc.

You need to consider your technical support. If you are in an organization, the staff at the technical desk should know how to maintain the server because having to call the server provider every time there is a problem can be expensive and in instances where you are in a remote place or in a country where the service provider does not have offices, it could be impossible.

The technical staff at the organization should be trained by the server provider - if this is not possible with the dedicated host server you are considering, get another server provider. The server provider should provide customer support service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Backup is very important in an organization and loss of data can lead to huge losses and problems with tax agencies, creditors and debtors, employees, etc. You should therefore get a guarantee from your server provider that your data will be backed up.

Before upgrading from a shared host server to a dedicated server, you should consider the alternatives. As an illustration, if you want to upgrade because your websites are reaching capacity, you might want to consider moving some sites to a new hosting company or changing your shared host server.

In fact, having all your website in the same place is not a good idea.

Consider the credibility and reliability of the dedicated server. Where possible, you should get a free trial period. If this is not possible, you should stick to well known server providers because such companies have experienced personnel all over the world and they have a name to protect.

You could also ask for recommendations from people you trust or get customer testimonials - never believe what these companies say in their adverts, the ads are just to bring people in and some companies promise more than they can deliver and others are owned by unscrupulous people.

You should consider the cost - the best way to get low costs and excellent services at the same time is to shop around.

For the best dedicated server, consider the data transfer rate, get a server with a monitoring service, and get a pre-configured package for lower cost.

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