What You Need in Dedicated Server Hosting Pt. 1

Once your traffic starts bursting through the seams of a shared server, it’s definitely time to make a serious upgrade. When this is the case, you just may need a dedicated server. As with any type of web hosting, there are several factors that must be considered when opting for dedicated hosting. You’ll have to go over the basics such as researching and evaluating a company to make sure they can be counted on. Hopefully, everyone realizes that you must comb a web host in and out before signing with them. This is something that simply can’t be stressed enough. Here are some more specifics for your journey in finding dedicated hosting:

Server Hardware

Let’s start with the backbone of dedicated hosting - the server.  I’m sure you’ve heard about how dedicated hosting is more robust and flexible than its shared counterpart - for the most part, that’s all true. You should still read up on the actual hardware to find out exactly what you’re getting. For example, you’ve got computers manufactured by Dell, Intel and other companies. Then you’ve got your single-core, dual-core and quad-core variations. Dedicated servers are designed for businesses at varying levels so it’s best to pick a package with enough power support your existing needs and allow for scalability as well.

Server Resources

Some web hosting companies and article writers can make a dedicated server appear so amazing that you might assume there is nothing this super machine can’t do. You can bring yourself down to reality after coming to understand that it is simply a computer that has its limits. Even though you are not scraping and fighting for resources with other customers, the vitals can be exceeded. I’m not going to get into all the unlimited stuff right now - just know that your dedicated server will need an adequate supply of disk space to suit your plans. The same goes for bandwidth, data transfer or whatever you wanna call it. Sure, most web hosting companies will let you upgrade but that comes with additional fees. Keep in mind that you’re not paying $5 a month for hosting. Why not get something you can stick with for a while? Definitely beats paying for costly upgrades every other month.

Maximum Uptime

Uptime is another critical aspect that I hope resonates within everyone’s mind. This is even more important when it comes to dedicated hosting. After all, you’re paying a lot more money so you wanna get the best performance possible. For the most part, dedicated server providers will advertise the same uptime guarantee as a conventional shared host - 99.9%. However, it isn’t uncommon to find a company that offers a 100% guarantee for uptime and service level agreements. In my opinion, 100% is always questionable but it does sound good. The key is to find a dedicated host that offers a maximum uptime and can provide some evidence of how they go about ensuring that guarantee. If this is the type of hosting arrangement you need, you are probably running mission-critical operations. In this case, excessive downtime is something you simply can’t afford.

Who I am kidding? I barely scratched the surface on this dedicated hosting stuff. Follow me over to part two of What You Need in Dedicated Server Hosting.