Requirement for a Dedicated Server
Are you one of the entrepreneurs looking to go big with your web business? Perhaps you are wondering what servers you must rent to launch your web application, and whether you need one. You even might know you need a dedicated server, but are stuck when it comes to choosing a host. Whichever way, here are a few guidelines to help you choose the best out of so many.
1. Do you need a Dedicated Server?
When renting server space with a host, you basically have two options – to rent a shared server space or to rent a dedicated server. With a shared hosting arrangement your web-site shares server space with other web-sites which might affect your bandwidth and cause other problems. But if you rent a dedicated server you get an entire server and network connection for yourself.
Shared servers are less costly to rent than dedicated ones. They usually require a lower level of technical skills too, because host does most of the server administration. This is why shared servers are usually the best choice for entry-level web-sites or for small businesses whose web-sites do not have high traffic levels.
While shared servers are the most cost-effective option for small web-sites, they are not necessarily a good option for large, “mission-critical” or high-traffic web-sites. For these a dedicated server might be necessary.
Dedicated servers are more expensive to rent than shared servers, and they also require a higher level of technical skill to operate. If you want them to be managed by the host, some hosting companies can provide you with this option. However, if you are making thousands of $$ a day from e-commerce and your business would fail if the server went down for a day or more, then you should seriously consider renting a dedicated server. Here’s why:
Server Response Time and Site Traffic Management
Server response time on a shared hosting arrangement depends on what is happening with the other sites hosted on the server. Your own server response time will be affected by service interruptions on another site – for instance, if another site suddenly receives an unexpectedly high level of traffic. These interruptions will be beyond your control on a shared server. With a dedicated server you alone are responsible for managing, and planning, for traffic levels and other events that may affect server response time.
Flexibility and Software
With shared servers, you will have limited access to the operating system, and software applications will be limited to those, which are provided by the host. If you want to be able to install and run your own advanced and customized ecommerce or database applications you will most likely need a dedicated server.
Scalability
As your site grows, your traffic increases, and your applications become more demanding, you will need to upgrade your server. If you are using a shared server, your upgrade options will be limited. Your host will usually allow you to increase the amount of disk space available to your site — but that is all. You will not be able to upgrade the hard drive, Ram processors, platform, or software applications yourself. When you are using a dedicated server, you can do all these things.
Security
Information on a shared server is likely to be less secured than information on a dedicated server. A dedicated server could also be offered with its own firewall. If you are storing highly sensitive information on your server, this increased security will obviously be a high priority.
Platform
Obviously, the choice of platform will depend to a large extent on the types of applications you are using and the skills and knowledge you already have. The two most well known operating systems are Windows NT and UNIX (which includes Linux, and Solaris platforms). Windows NT, the more expensive option is regarded as the most user-friendly and easiest to install, especially for those who use Windows on their PCs. Unix is cheaper, but there is usually a much steeper learning curve for those who are not familiar with the more arcane UNIX environment.
Data Transfer
Most dedicated server providers will allow you to choose your level of data transfer, usually in gigabytes per month. Normally you will be paying for this, so you will not purchase more data transfer than is needed in fact. This can always be increased according to your needs and demands.
Data Backup
If you run a site, which is constantly being updated, you will need to back it up frequently. This can be a hassle. Many dedicated hosting providers will provide a back up service for you – usually at some additional fee, but the convenience may be worth it.
Monitoring
The server you have rented will need to be monitored constantly to prevent service interruptions. Check to see that your host can provide such monitoring, and how frequently it is done (eg every 5 mins or so), and what measures they use to deal with problems, which are detected.
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