Managed Server Hosting Guide
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A Guide On Selecting Managed Server Hosting
Managed server hosting is a popular alternative to owning and operating one’s own servers. Businesses, organizations and individuals can save on equipment and other overhead expenses by renting servers hosted by provider companies.
As the name implies managed server hosting involves servers that are maintained by the hosting company. Thus, the firewalls, security, load balancing, storage and other core server issues are all handled by the server provider.
Choosing between managed server hosting providers involves analyzing the hardware, services and support offered together with consideration of the company’s reputation, credentials and track record.
For example, in terms of hardware, what type of processor is used? Is the server equipped with a Pentium, Celeron or other type of processor? The quad core processors are the most powerful followed by dual core processors. The faster the processor, the faster the server will be able to handle various operations especially those which require lots of computing power.
The amount of flash memory or RAM is also an important factor as the server will slow down or grind to a halt when it runs out of RAM. Generally you should expect at least 1 GB of RAM on the low end, while 6 GB will usually be more than sufficient for average needs.
A good managed server hosting account will also provide plenty of hard disk space for storage. A low end package will offer about 60 to 80 GB of storage, while top packages will provide 500 GB or more. Storage space is important if your website will require a large database. In most cases, server packages are scalable so that if the user needs more storage later they can add this to their account for a fee. However, it is a good idea to ensure that such scalability is provided before choosing a plan.
Another important consideration is bandwidth – the amount of data traffic a server handles per a given time period. Many providers charge bandwidth according to the usage per month, i.e., 2000 GB per month, although others charge for the bandwidth rate i.e., 1 Mbps burstable to 100 Mbps Port.
For many website owners, the operating system available on the server is crucial. Generally they will want to work with an OS with which they have some experience. Many providers allow you to choose the operating system while others only give you one option. Popular types of operating systems include Windows, Apache, Linux and Fedora.
After checking out the hardware, potential customers should closely examine the services included with the managed server hosting package. For example, do they have 24x7 live tech support? Check to see if they offer incentives like public IP addresses with the package.
Also, do some research on the company itself. One type of data center do they use, for example. Are they members of professional organizations like the Better Business Bureau? Find out how long they have been in business and whether they have any industry standard credentials that specifically address managed server hosting.