A Guide to Dedicated Server Hosting in 2020

Selecting the right web hosting service can be one of the most important decisions you need to take to build a formidable website. Agreed, the marketplace offers plenty of hosting solutions, but none of those can match the performance and versatility of a dedicated server.

When you buy a dedicated server hosting plan, you get a server for your exclusive use. This means no other user shares or has access to your resources or data. You also enjoy a great deal of control over your server as you can tailor it to fulfill the specific needs of your business.

In this blog post, we will discuss the ins and outs of dedicated server hosting: what is it and how it works, when and how you should choose dedicated servers. So let’s begin.

Introduction to Dedicated Server Hosting

As the name suggests, dedicated server hosting offers a physical server dedicated exclusively for your website. This means you have complete access to and control over all the resources of the server. Dedicated hosting stands in stark contrast with shared or VPS hosting where multiple users share the resources of a single physical server.

A dedicated server offers numerous advantages to your website. The salient ones are:

Superior Speed and Performance: Since your website does not share resources with other users, you enjoy seamless speed and performance.

Better Security: In a dedicated server, there is no risk of ‘bad neighbors’ jeopardizing your security. As a result, you don’t fall prey to malicious or spamming websites intending to steal your precious data.

Control and Customization: No other hosting service matches a dedicated server when it comes to control and customization. A dedicated server offers root access and, therefore, allows the user to tweak the software and hardware settings as per his requirements.

Unique IP address: In shared hosting, you share your IP address with multiple websites. So, if any of these websites get blacklisted, your website can get impacted too. In contrast, dedicated server hosting lets you have a unique IP address. With a unique IP, all such issues are eliminated.

When should you consider Dedicated Server Hosting?

While a dedicated hosting server in India is a powerful hosting solution, it is not meant for everyone. Most businesses can do well with a high-end VPS or cloud hosting server. You should consider a dedicated server hosting plan if you fall in any of the following categories:

1) You need a high level of control and customization over your server configuration

With dedicated server hosting, you get a physical server all to yourself. This means you can configure it however you wish. If you have an advanced web application that entails a specialized configuration, a dedicated server is the option to go for.

In case you lack the requisite technical knowledge on server management, you can select a managed dedicated plan wherein your service provider will handle the day-to-day tasks related to server management on your behalf. While a managed plan involves a premium, it allows you to milk maximum benefits from your dedicated server.

2) Security is a primary concern for your business

Cybersecurity breaches are on the rise. While shared hosting works fine for smaller, personal websites, larger businesses, particularly the ones dealing with sensitive data such as financial transactions or personal information require a higher degree of security that only a dedicated server can offer.

Free dedicated servers are highly customizable and allow you to configure the server to fulfill your security needs e.g. you can create an advanced firewall to keep out hackers. What’s more, there is no threat of bad neighbors intending to spam your site or spread malware.

3) Your site requires higher stability

As discussed above, a dedicated server makes for superior speed and performance. In cheaper hosting options such as shared hosting, the resources of the physical server are shared among all the available users. So, if one of your neighboring sites experiences a spike in traffic, you will be left with little to work with-your site can lag and even crash.

In contrast, in a dedicated server, all the resources are reserved for you. So, if your website is expanding and attracting more visitors, dedicated hosting server in India can be an apt option to keep it functioning steadily.

Unmanaged Vs Managed Dedicated Server Hosting

Dedicated service providers offer two types of hosting solutions-managed and unmanaged.

In managed hosting, your service provider takes care of the routine administrative work associated with your server. This may include tasks such as security updates, resource monitoring, server maintenance and networking configuration. Managed hosting ensures your free dedicated servers are up and running at all times.

Some hosting providers offer back up and disaster recovery as a part of their managed plan. The most noteworthy benefit of a managed plan is that it frees you from the daily administration tasks related to your free dedicated servers and allows you to concentrate on other vital facets of your business.

On the contrary, in an unmanaged plan, it is you who manages all the aforementioned tasks. Unmanaged plans are typically cheaper than their managed counterparts and so appear to be more economical at first glance. These, however, involve a range of hidden costs-you have to spend money on hiring IT staff and pay heavy sum in the event of a mishap. Managed hosting makes your IT infrastructure expenses more predictable.

The kind of plan you choose-managed or unmanaged depends on your technical expertise. If you are confident enough to manage the server on your own or seek full control, you might wish to choose unmanaged hosting.

Most of the clients, however, do better with a managed server as it allows them the time to concentrate on their core business and assures a high level of technical expertise.

How to choose a Dedicated Server that caters to your Business needs?

In searching for a dedicated server hosting plan, the very first step would be to assess your requirements. Once this is figured out, you should seek a host that can help you fulfill those specific requirements. Some baseline qualities to consider are:

1) Hardware Requirements

1. a) Processor: A processor with higher clock speed and greater number of cores offers better speed and performance. The right person to guide you on how many cores and how much clock speed to choose should be the one managing your website or application.
2. b) RAM: More RAM translates to a higher speed. The amount of RAM will determine the efficiency of your server and loading speed of your webpages.
3. c) Storage: Experts recommend a RAID setup for your hard drive so that you can remain protected against the failure of a single drive. In a RAID setup, the data is written to all the drives in the array. So, your applications will keep running unless all the drives in the set-up fail.

Then the type of hard drive also matters. SATA hard drives deliver slow performance but high volume. SSD drives are around 50-100 times faster than SATA but way more expensive.

2) Bandwidth

Your bandwidth requirement depends on the web traffic and content of your site. If you expect high traffic and/or want to run complex scripts and high-resolution videos and images, a high bandwidth plan would be necessary.

3) Operating System: Linux vs Windows

Linux and Windows are among the most popular operating systems people chose for their dedicated hosting server in India. The choice largely depends on your work environment. If you have a website or applications running on asp or .net, Windows is the OS to go for. In contrast, if your website has been created on PERL or PERL, Linux is the recommended OS.

4) Location of the Service Provider

For a seamless hosting experience, your dedicated servers need to be in the same location as your end-users. If your end-users are mostly based in the USA, choosing a dedicated server housed in Europe or Asia will not serve the purpose; it can affect your loading speed and ward off valuable prospects.

For more information on the quality of the network, go through the NOC pages of the prospective service provider and test the network.

5) Option to Upgrade

The service provider should provide for a hassle-free upgradation in case you feel the need for more resources. Upgrading the existing plan is far more cost-effective than switching the service provider.

6) Technical Support

What if your host doesn’t respond duly in the event of a technical snag? Your website will remain unavailable for a while making you lose considerable revenue. Impeccable customer support is essential for the seamless functioning of your business operations.

Your service provider should offer round-the-clock support, preferably through multiple communication channels. The support team should have competent, knowledgeable and agile business professionals. To gauge the level of service, go through the customers reviews available online.

The Final Word

For those seeking impeccable performance and complete control, dedicated server hosting can be a great choice. A reliable dedicated server hosting solution can go a long way in determining the success of your business.

Read more at : Top 7 Reasons for choosing a Dedicated Server for your Organization