Before you proceed towards buying a dedicated server, you should know why exactly you need a dedicated server? If you can use another hosting solution that is more suitable than dedicated hosting then prefer it. However, if you have made up your mind to get a dedicated server in India then here is a purchasing guide. You should get a dedicated server in case you want features like performance, security, and control. Businesses and individuals should buy dedicated servers if they need all these features.

Why do you need a dedicated server?

If you are planning to get yourself a dedicated server then you should consider the following few factors. You should go with the dedicated server if you want :

Performance 

Performance is an important factor when you are planning to move to a dedicated server. The first benefit of a dedicated server in terms of performance is that your applications will load faster. The second reason is that your website will always respond fast. Moreover, your website is surely going to stand under high traffic without getting down or crashing.

In the case of shared hosting where you will be sharing your resources and server will surely cause downtime to the website. When a website goes down then it is directly going to affect the business. Hence going with dedicated hosting comes with the advantage that you will never face any issues with the performance of the website.

Security 

Shared servers are more prone to data breaches and malware attacks. The reason being the servers are shared with numerous individuals and even a single mistake can be highly dangerous. While in a dedicated server your security will not be affected by anyone else’s mistake. Moreover, data breaches and malware attacks won’t affect your system. 

Control

If you want more control over the server and do a few more things that you were unable to do in shared hosting then go for dedicated hosting. With dedicated hosting, you can configure your server in the way you want without any restriction. If you want to get the roots or administrator access to your server then a dedicated server can do that for you. 

Unless you have a dedicated server, you are dependent on the hosting service provider. It comes with the advantage that all your changes will be made by professional system admins. But it also has a few disadvantages that you have to depend on someone else for getting your things done. 

Hardware requirements 

Hardware is the most essential feature of the dedicated server. Most individuals seek better hardware support while moving towards dedicated hosting. Choose suitable hardware so that you can avoid the afterward hassle. You should neither buy very high-tech stuff which you do not need nor invest in something that won’t last long. Choose something in between that is highly suitable for the business. 

Monitoring

A dedicated server provides you with time to time monitoring of the server. But it totally depends on your service provider whether they are delivering such facilities or not. Moreover, you should ask your service provider to give you all the details of server downtime via email or SMS. 

Bandwidth

A dedicated server allows you to transfer the data at your convenience. The speed of data transfer might vary from a few GBs to some terabytes. But before you purchase the bandwidth that you need for the hosting, work internally and know the bandwidth you actually need. Based on your requirement, you should purchase it. Service providers will offer you high bandwidth that you might not need. Thus you need to be very careful while allocating the bandwidth for your project. 

Hardware components 

You should always have a look at the core hardware components in your server. It allows you to get complete information about the devices and their ability for upgrading in near future. In case of failure of the component, you have the full idea of the hardware and its details thus replacement will be smooth.

Reporting

Since your server specifications are an easy part to identify in the selection process. Moreover, you should take care of other important things with your managed server.

Data reporting

Dedicated servers come with a feature called base data usage allocation. Beyond that, you have to pay the excess usage charges. You must monitor the usage but make sure that your business expectations and ability to monitor it. Look for a company that provides you with usage stats whenever you need them. Use the services from the company that allows you inbound as well as outbound data usage figures. In case there is no interface then online reports will also work. 

Support

Support is an essential component of the dedicated server package. It is one of the major units of interaction with the hosting company once you have purchased their service. The day-to-day interaction with the hosting company includes the resolution of the issues that you are facing. The main reason why people use managed hosting services is that they get hardware, as well as 24-hour live support. However, if you have a dedicated IT team to look after your server then you can save some amount.

Some of the support and maintenance tasks that you should ask about are:

Firewall and security 

• Is there a firewall configuration on the server or on a dedicated device?
• Who will be responsible for the server maintenance and configuration?
• What are the systems to detect if the security of my server gets compromised?

Monitoring

• What will be the services in terms of monitoring?
• What reporting is provided for monitoring?
• What to do when my application is not working and the monitoring system shows no problems?

Application and security updates

• Will security updates and patches for the programs will be auto-applied to my server?
• How often will I get updates?
• At what time of the day will the updates apply?

Application installation 

• What will be applications I will get initially when the server is built?
• What happens if I need more applications after some time?

Configuration management

• Who will be making the configuration changes to the server?
• Should I be paying for every change or they are included in the monthly fees?

Provision of support services

• Will I get support over the phone or will I have to email for all support requests?
• Can I talk directly to the support staff that takes care of my server?
• What is the resolution time for urgent and non-urgent support requests?

Performance 

• If my application is running slow then will you help to diagnose the problem?
• Do you collect any data on the server load trends over time?

However, your hosting service provider will offer you support that covers the tasks you need to keep the server secure. Other support packages can also be offered at a fixed monthly price. Moreover, you need to make sure that all terms and conditions are mentioned clearly in the contract.

Conclusion

A dedicated server in India is used by several companies that want the best performance and security. Moreover, dedicated server prices in India can be high but companies and businesses can easily afford them. Based on your requirements you can go with any kind of hosting solution that is suitable for you.