Posts Tagged ‘dedicated server advantages’

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3 Reasons to Choose a Dedicated Server

May 5th, 2010

3 Reasons to Choose a Dedicated Server

A dedicated server is a web server that is devoted to one customer, thus giving that customer all of the resources they need to effectively run their website without experiencing server downtime or other pitfalls. Although dedicated servers are available to every customer, they are usually only used by larger businesses due to their high cost and overwhelming amount of server resources. Most small business owners would not necessarily need a dedicated server, but nonetheless it is a common solution for small business owners as well. One of the reasons why a dedicated server is so suitable for the large business owner is because the server setup is completely customizable and expandable. The following reasons should help you decide if a dedicated server would be suitable for your online business.

Enhanced Customer Service

Aside from nearly unlimited server resources, dedicated hosting plans get the best customer service from any hosting company, as these plans are given priority over other hosting plans. Since your server is dedicated to your site only, the host can work with you to make sure your server is meeting all of your needs. You’ll usually have shorter wait times on the support line, and you’ll be able to have the server configured to your likings, unlike shared hosting plans which only give you restricted access to server configuration. In essence, having a dedicated hosting plan is the same as leasing your very own private server in a remote location.

Multiple Domain Hosting

With your own dedicated server, you could also host multiple domains without having to use different software to manage each domain. Meaning all of your domains could use the same control panel, the same shopping cart, and even the same point of sale software. All of this software could be installed on multiple websites simultaneously since each website is hosted on the same server. You could also have several dedicated IP addresses for each website to maximize site performance. Hosting multiple domains on the same server is a must for any online business owner that regularly operates several websites at once.

Reselling

Perhaps the most advantageous aspect of having a dedicated server would be the reselling capabilities. If you want to have all of the aforementioned features of a dedicated web server, but you do not necessarily need all of the extra resources, then you could opt to resell some of the resources allocated to you and then use the rest as you please. Most dedicated hosting plans will give you the right to resell your resources, since the server resources will only be used by you. If you’re in the business of offering web services such as web development, then you may want to consider a dedicated hosting plan as you’ll be able to offer your customers server resources in combination with the existing plans you have on offer. Bundling your services is one of the best way to sell hosting plans and make a profit with a dedicated server.

http://www.version-next.com/dedicated-servers/index.html

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7 Critical Factors to Consider for a Dedicated Server

May 5th, 2010

A dedicated server can provide the best possible performance for your website.  It is also considerable decision that requires careful planning on your part.  This is a responsibility that exceeds anything you have ever had to encounter in a shared hosting arrangement.

Before leasing service and deploying the server, there are a number of factors that must be taken into account.  Below we have listed seven of the most critical:

1. Server Hardware – Perhaps the most essential element of a dedicated hosting solution is the actual server itself.  There are various types of hardware available produced by a wide range of manufacturers.  This is why it is so important to ask prospective hosting providers about hardware components such as hard drives, processors and RAM.  All the benefits of a dedicated server are null and void without the aspect of reliable, high performance equipment.

2. Network Connectivity – When leasing a dedicated server, you also receive a dedicated connection to the internet.  If you are concerned about the performance of your website and the availability of your mission-critical applications, you will certainly want to inquire about the status of the provider’s network connection.  Are they providing you with a T1 or T3 line?  Are there redundant connections?  Who are their backbone providers?   The answers you get here can tell you a lot about performance and the overall reliability of dedicated server solution.

3. Bandwidth Allotment - Bandwidth is a very critical aspect of the web hosting business and the internet itself.  Most hosting companies provide you with a specific allotment of bandwidth every month.  However, some do not.  When choosing your dedicated server, it is strongly recommended to select a package that gives you a specific figure instead of one that is simply advertised as “unlimited.”  Find out how much bandwidth you are allocated each month and the requirements for obtaining more as your needs increase.

4. IP Options – Having a dedicated server usually guarantees you at least one unique IP address.  However, there may be instances in which you require more.  For example, if you are running two e-commerce stores on the server, you will need at least two unique IP addresses for security purposes.  It is important to keep in mind that every SSL certificate requires its own IP address in order to be installed on the server.

5. Data Backup and Restoration - Many customers overlook backup options when shopping for a dedicated server.  This is an area you definitely want to put emphasis on as data can become loss of corrupt due to failures, theft, sabotage or natural disasters.  There are a variety of proactive measures you can take to ensure that the data on your server is routinely backed up and can be restored.  Hosting providers typically offer backup services as well but a combination of efforts on both sides would be the best solution.

6. Technical Support - Even though a dedicated server is often viewed as a do-it-yourself type of arrangement, you should never be left out in the cold when it comes to support.  The level of support is something you need to be aware before entering a contract with the service provider.

Make sure you can get in touch with the company 24 hours a day and 7 days a week whether it is through a phone number of email.  Being that you don’t have physical access to the hardware and network, you simply cannot succeed without quality technical support for your dedicated server.

7. Server Uptime and Network Reliability – Dedicated servers are generally more dependable than the shared variety, but the crucial aspects of uptime and reliability are never guaranteed.  Almost every web hosting provider offers what appears to be a respectable uptime guarantee but you must dig a little deeper when making such a commitment.

http://www.version-next.com/dedicated-servers/index.html

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Dedicated server provider, how do you choose?

April 23rd, 2010

When it comes to a dedicated server its all about reliability, quality of service and value for money.

It’s not simply about signing up with the cheapest supplier to save money, to then discover various technical difficulties, or when you need it the technical support is none existence. You then have the frustrating task of starting all over again and changing web hosts.

To avoid this experience, you need to choose the right dedicated server company straightway. Ensuring that you choose a dedicated server supplier with the following qualities will increase your chances of customer satisfaction, and uptime!

  • quality server hardware: to cope with the high number of users on your server it is paramount that the server hardware and components are quality.
  • redundant network: multiple connections to the Internet for your dedicated servers are imperative. So look out for suppliers who’s network has the ability to re-route traffic should a connection go down.
  • network connectivity: speed is everything on the Internet; so finding the fastest connection possible is a must, particularly as other users are consuming resources on your server. High-grade bandwidth is the key as is using less than 50% of available bandwidth.
  • data centre location: hosting your company in UK based hosting facilities ensures higher performance, easier management and better Google ratings.
  • customer support and administrators: talk with the system administrators; ensure they are knowledgeable and if possible fully qualified to operate your hosting company, and find out how available they are.
  • track record: take a look at any awards the hosting providers have won, check their availability and performance records, read their customer testimonials and case studies, even talk to their clients and visit forums to see what is being said about them. All these should give you a better view of how good they are.

Remember it is not necessary to go with the cheapest or the most expensive dedicated servers supplier, it’s about your budget and getting value for money. Some factors to consider when choosing a dedicated server to help you save money include:

  • pay for what you need only: only purchase services that your site will require to provide your specific content, don’t sign up for an all-inclusive package with a hosting provider if you won’t use most of their services, unless you can see the value otherwise this will unnecessarily increase your costs.
  • choose a scalable solution: make sure that your dedicated server solution can grow as you grow. This means being able to upgrade your site to accommodate increased bandwidth, even server-side scripting, database support and multimedia streaming.
  • responsive and available tech support: prompt and knowledgeable customer support is key to your hosting solution. A truly dependable and first-rate host will offer 24/7/365 support, whether by phone or email, without the interception of call centres, handled by qualified and helpful technicians.
  • simple and reliable billing: don’t let a host get you in a flap over billing. You should have the choice to pay by credit card or direct debit. Your dedicated server supplier should also send you regular invoices and in your control panel you should be able to view your financial account information.
  • own your domain: make sure that your web host does not hold you hostage by letting them having administrative control over your domain name. Your host should only be listed as a technical contact.
  • understand your obligations: before you sign up on the dotted line with your chosen dedicated server provider, you must understand what your obligations are concerning payment for service and permissible behaviour, get a copy of the terms and conditions, openness of the host usually means a more trusting supplier.

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Main features of True Dedicated Servers

March 10th, 2010

Exquisitely reliable name brand dedicated server hardware

Exclusive use of the entire server

Unrestricted bandwidth – most companies tell you that you get “X” amount of monthly data transfer when really what they’ve done is place a bandwidth or speed restriction on your server that assures you never can transfer more than your monthly data transfer limit and assume that you don’t know any better and don’t care – you won’t find such hidden performance hinderances with our servers; you can use all of your allocated monthly data transfer at whatever speed you like

Protection from the leading cause of web hosting account outages – other users on the same server as your web site

Easy to use control panel available for no additional charge

Upgrades to more powerful servers can be done with no downtime, no IP address changes, no DNS changes, no moving of files, and no administrative hassle

Data protection and high speed data access through SCSI RAID storage technology

Hot-swappable disks prevent downtime when replacing failed drives

Daily off-site data backups are included for all data on your server

Redundant hot-swappable power supplies and redundant power cords prevent downtime from power recabling, power outage at the outlet, or a failed power supply

Redundant hot-swappable internal cooling fans prevent downtime caused by failed fan replacement or overheating while a fan is inoperable

Error correcting memory detects and corrects bit errors that naturally occur over time that would otherwise result in downtime

Visual alerts to any hardware faults so they can be identified and corrected so that any lost redundancy is restored before it can cause an outage

Network controllable reboots allow you to restart the system at any time without calling technical support

Dual CPUs prevent performance problems in the event a user installed application misbehaves

Hardened ultra-reliable server software makes your system capable of running for thousands of days between reboots

24/7 monitoring of the server and outage correction for common services such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and POP3

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Dedicated Server Configuration

March 10th, 2010

Here is a list of criterias you have to gather to get an accurate assessment of your technology needs:

  • OS: if you use ASP.NET or MS SQL Server, you obviously need a Windows Dedicated Server. If you use an open source stack such as Apache/php/mysql or Ruby On Rails, a Linux server is the best choice.
  • Web Server and Database Server: depending on your technology stack, you might need a server with plenty of RAM, especially if the architecture builds upon Windows, Java or Ruby.
  • Performance: for SQL servers, video-transcoding severs, servers used for virtualization, or specialized servers such as game or chat servers, you need fast, multi-core processors or ideally multi-processors servers, such as dual xeon servers.
  • Bandwidth: if you plan to host images, multimedia files such as flash videos, or an Asterisk server, bandwidth provided by the hosting provider is a key criteria
  • Management: if you lack expert sys admins at hand to manage your server, you should look at advanced managed services. A good web hosting company should be able to offer you expert advice on how to do load balancing or web clusters, as well as good support.
  • Network: depending on the audience and geographical location of your web service, you should look closely at the location of the data center.

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What is a Dedicated Server?

March 10th, 2010

In the web hosting business, the dedicated servers, also referred to as dedicated hosting, are the Rolls Royce. A dedicated server is a powerful computer that is used solely as a network server; a single computer in a network reserved for network needs. It refers to the rental and exclusive use of a computer and it provides services for only one account or domain name. It is therefore solely for use by one organization, and is leased and stored in the data centre of the host company.

A dedicated server includes an operating system (mostly some variants of Linux or Windows) a web server, related software (such as a SQL server, Control Panel and much more) and connection to the Internet, all housed in the web hosting company’s data centers. Dedicated server hosting is typically required for a web site or a group of related company sites that develop a substantial amount of traffic. The server can usually be configured and operated remotely from the host company while still allowing for client customization. A dedicated server can be assigned to function only as a resource server and cannot be used as a client. It is important to note that the server is owned by the web host and you do not have physical access to it.

A dedicated web hosting is beneficial while developing a complex business or a high-end e-commerce site as you will need more space and security – a web server dedicated to your business. It is purchased by a company when they want more control of their server. They purchase or rent the hardware from the hosting company who then normally support and manage it. Internet connectivity is provided to the server, in many cases over 10 or 100 Mb/s Ethernet. Dedicated servers are most often housed in datacenters, similar to co-location facilities, providing redundant power sources and HVAC systems. The financial benefit with cheap dedicated server hosting is huge: large initial investments are not needed.

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Understand The Difference Between Dedicated and Colocation Server Hosting.

December 9th, 2009

Dedicated server hosting and Colocation Server are two of the common terms frequently used by webmasters. Here is a explanation of the difference between the two.

A dedicated server hosting is one of the very well known type of web hosting service. Dedicated servers are used by large organizations and enterprises as they have to manage large amount of data. This service is further distinguished as Linux Dedicated Server Hosting and Windows Dedicated server hosting, depending on the platform a customer chooses.

Dedicated Server

A customer leases an entire server from a web hosting provider, it is as good as owning a server yourself. The customer has the privileges of using the server as per their own choice. One can opt for Managed Dedicated Server Hosting solutions, in this the hosting provider takes care of the maintenance, data back-up, security etc. A dedicated server provides an assurance of better security and speed.

With a dedicated hosting solution, one has the complete freedom to modify the server settings of sever hardware components and operating system as per business requirements. Depending on the web hosting service provider, one can get the dedicated server customized as per requirements. A control panel alongwith the server can add to the ease of managing the web hosting accounts. With a dedicated server, one gets complete administrative access to the server, enabling customers to install, uninstall, modify, delete, upload, download anything of their choice.

Colocation Servers

Colocation which is also referred as “Colo”, is a Web server hosting service offered by Web hosting providers. In this type of hosting solution, a customer can place his own server hardware in the data center of a third party. The customer is required to have their own server hardware and software licenses to place in the data center. In this type of service, the customer has the flexibility to manage, secure and take care of maintenance of their servers. In this, the data center provides only the space, security, redundancy etc. Colocation service is one of the most expensive type of web hosting service. Only people with good experience in server administration opt for such a service. Also, the maintenance, upgrades of the server needs to be taken care by the customer themselves (Some of the web hosting providers do offer managed collocation services too.).

Both these types of server hostings have their own advantages and disadvantages. With a dedicated server hosting solution a customer gets all the services provided in a collocation hosting solution, except that the customer does not own the hardware. Whereas, in Colocation Hosting solution, the hardware is owned by the customer, therefore the customer needs to bear initial set-up costs and the charge of placing the hardware in the facility of a third party.

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Thinking Of Using Your Hosting Account For Backup? Think Again

December 9th, 2009

File StorageKeeping your data backups onsite can be risky. If there’s ever a fire or a robbery, you could lose both – your backup copy and your master copy. Of course, shipping your backup tapes or DVDs to an off-site location every day can also be inconvenient.

That’s why so many people today are choosing to send their backup data, over the internet, to an off-site storage facility.

Given that web hosting prices are so cheap, it can be tempting to use your web hosting account as an online file storage or backup device for your home computer. After all, you can now get unlimited disk space and bandwidth for as little as four dollars per month.

But before you start uploading the entire contents of your hard drive, there are a few things you need to keep in mind…

* Check the fine print in your hosting contract. Most web hosts have explicit clauses prohibiting the use of your web server as an online backup device.
* If you upload copyrighted materials to your web server, you face the risk of having your account suddenly terminated without notice.
* Is privacy important to you? Then you need to consider that files stored on your server can also be potentially accessed by nosy strangers online. This exposes you to the possibility of identity theft and privacy breaches.
* Because FTP doesn’t support block-level incremental uploads like an online backup service would, your backups will take forever to transmit. This could also slow down your internet connection and cause problems with your ISP.
* This method of backup only supports a single “point-in-time” file version. If you accidentally save over an important file or get a virus, you’ll have no way of recovering your data.

In recent years, a lot of new specialized online backup companies have appeared on the market. There’s such a wide range of price points and feature sets that you’re bound to find something that’s just right for your particular requirements.

In fact, many web hosts today also offer online backup solutions in addition to their regular hosting services. If you do a bit of research, you might even be able to get a special deal by bundling this software with your web hosting subscription.

This is a much better and safer alternative to the do-it-yourself approach.

Article Provided by Storagepipe Solutions. They provide email archiving and online backup software for businesses of all sizes. Storagepipe also offers reseller programs that allow web hosts to offer their own white-label online backup solutions.

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5 Domain Naming Mistakes

December 9th, 2009

We did a list more then 2 years ago titled the Top 10 websites that regret their unintentionally explicit name.

Even though the comedic value of that list was enormous considering the owners of Pen Island (PenisLand.net), Therapist Finder (TheRapistFinder.com), Via Grafix (ViagraFix.com) etc are kicking themselves over their naming choice, I believe the biggest domain naming mistakes lie elsewhere.

A lot of people turn to domain hacks, misspelling or even other extensions when they can’t find the right domain name in the .com extension. Heck, VERSionnext is a misspelling (we do own the right spelling though).

Depending on what niche you are in though and how large your venture is and will be, a hack, misspelling or different extension can cost you big bucks and will definitely be labeled a mistake in the long run.

# GoFishn.com – Recently made TechCrunch news as the owner of gofishn happens to “go fishn” with TechCrunch’s own Erick Schonfeld – literally.

However, both GoFishin.com and GoFishing.com are registered domain names – registered by someone else. GoFishin is even a proper, working website with an Alexa rank of less then 650k. A lot of traffic lost here in my opinion, especially if they get into offline advertising – think about advertising gofishn on radio.

# scribd.com – the website where tens of millions of people each month publish and discover original writings and documents. The properly spelled Scribed.com is a parked page – with a whopping 470k Alexa rank – huge for a parked page!

# corkd.com – A wine-connoisseur’s dream – very popular site… but they don’t own corked.com. Big mistake!

# StockVault.net – the free stock photo and images website features an article posted way back in 2006 describing how important it is to purchase the right domain name – yet they let Buy Domains get at stockvault.com. These guys have something in for .net names it seems, they also run TextureVault.net, TutorialVault.net, StyleVault.net etc.

# A friend of mine is about to launch a startup in the UK. Having decided on a name for their startup, they went and registered the company and the .co.uk domain name – and didn’t give the .com a second thought.

When I reminded them that in the long run they might find it beneficial to own the .com domain too, especially considering their long term aim is to expand and cover the globe with their services, they found that the .com is already taken.

Lessons to be learned:

It is fun to play with domain hacks and misspellings but if you are serious about your venture you better get your hands at the properly spelled domain name as you will lose a lot of traffic to it over the long run.

Obviously, ccTlds (country code top level domains) are great, but they really depend on what demographic you are after. If you are after the mainstream web surfer and your venture is not limited to the geographic region that the ccTld is intended for, you should consider the .com domain name too.

As for gTlds like .net, .org, .info, they are good for SEO experiments, affiliate sites and minisites, but a large venture where branding is important should definitely be aware of the impact a .com makes.

If you have examples of other domain naming mistakes or if you have an opinion on what was said above, comment away. I would love to hear your thoughts.

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Benefits and Uses of Secure FTP Hosting

November 16th, 2009

FTP is an abbreviation of File Transfer Protocol. The benefits of FTP hosting is the ability of handling the file transfer better than any other Internet Protocols. Today most of the file transfer takes place via the Internet. Organizations need to send huge data files, presentations etc. to clients,customers, other organizations etc. Sometimes the file transfer needs to take place through secure networks as confidentiality is of utmost importance. FTP hosting is the simplest and most secure way to make sure that the files arrive everytime.

FTP features the following benefits:

1. Ease of Use: Secure FTP Hosting is as simple as a hostname, a user name and a password. With these pieces of information one can log onto the FTP from any Internet connection. It is fast reliable and it makes file transfer simple.
2. Speed : FTP Hosting is the fastest and a direct way of making the files available to clients and customers.
3. Reliability: The user can keep a track of the files transferred, sent or arrived. Secure FTP Hosting is clear and leaves no doubt. Hence, one can be rest assured about the file been sent to the desired person that too in time.

FTP Hosting is an authentic way of transferring files over the internet. Now-a-days in the era of Internet technology it is very important to implement advanced communication protocol in the system of business to carry out effective communication with the clients. Transferring files through the Internet is fast and secure. This enhances the business process.

ftpservice Benefits and Uses of Secure FTP Hosting

FTP Hosting supports transmission of all types of digital files over the Internet, size of the file is not a barrier. Costwise, transferring files is less under FTP Hosting service, hence this type of hosting is more preferred by businesses in the business process as an efficient medium to communicate with clients. Due to its ease of operating, one does not need to understand its technical details.

Benefits of FTP Hosting Service :

ftp-server-logo Benefits and Uses of Secure FTP HostingThe cost of transferring items depends on the distance between the two locations, weight of product and the shipment selection type. For FTP Hosting service there isn’t any additional fee charged for transferring files via the FTP server. It isn’t authentic to send digital files via any type of courier service, but with the use of FTP such file can be sent with much ease and at a comparatively much lower costs, hence it is recommended to use FTP for transferring movies or images. With FTP hosting service one can send data in a compressed file format. Advanced FTP hosting service comes with a facility of 128-bit data encryption. This encrypts the digital data and restricts any other to access the content of the data.

The transfer of data through FTP is user friendly. One needs to register a FTP server. FTP service providers allocate web space on a server and provides the user with an FTP account, which helps to communicate with the clients. The remote computer acts as a FTP client. It enables users to upload huge digital files on the FTP server. The files uploaded on the FTP server can be accessed or downloaded from anywhere through the Internet.

To summarize the above content, FTP hosting service is an efficient, cost effective and secure service designed for every kind of users.

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