If you’ve reached the point in your business where you think you should move from Shared Hosting or VPS hosting to Dedicated Hosting, then this article could be of some good use to you. Choosing a Dedicated Hosting Server can be quite a task. Dedicated servers are expensive and you wouldn’t want to make a hasty decision for your business.

We list down for you a few imperative factors to consider before you purchase a dedicated server so you make an informed choice.

Technology:

  • Operating System: Choose a Linux server if you’re using an open source stack like Apache/php/mysql (LAMP) or Ruby On Rails. Hosting a ASP.NET code, MS SQL Server or using Microsoft IIS will require you to opt for a Microsoft Windows Dedicated Server
  • RAM Space: Power hungry technology stacks like Windows, Java and or Ruby will require a server with abundant RAM space
  • Performance & Bandwidth: Specialized applications like game or chat servers may need multi-processor servers like dual Xeon server. Additionally, if you plan to host multimedia, images and more choose a host provider with good speed and performance
  • Managed Servers: Opt for a managed dedicated server if you do not have the expertise of a system administrator. While they may be more expensive, it allows you to focus on your business
  • Hardware replacement guarantees: Some web hosts offer to replace failed hardware within a certain time frame (Service Level Agreements or SLAs). Find out if your host offers a longer SLA so you’re not in a dire situation when you require urgent replacement

Business Requirements

You may have some special requirements relating to your industry or activities. Here are some common considerations:

  • Disaster recovery
  • E-commerce: secure access to  dedicated servers and integrity of data
  • Management of heavy/ large-sized files
  • PCI compliancy
  • Security: including firewalls, protection against Distributed DOS attacks or the possibility of setting up a VPN
  • High availability
  • Scalability, factoring in the expected growth of your business and web services
  • Services such as emails and calendaring

Pricing

While choosing a web host, it is important to check their pricing policies:

  • Monthly pricing: Is tariff included?
  • Software licensing fees: Check on Proprietary operating system, database or visualization software licensing fee
  • Prices of Upgrades & parts: Additional memory, space or hard drives will cost you extra. Check on these prices before you make a decision
  • Scalability: Are easy upgrades available to handle heavy traffic at certain periods? How much will these cost you?
  • Downtime costs: The risks of downtime cannot be eliminated when it comes to this industry. Make sure you assess the cost of hardware failure and the risk for your business before making a choice of a provider
  • Migration Policies: Check if your web host is going to charge you for migration or cancellation of services if you decide to change your mind

Support

Most web hosts provide you with support for your business. Do not settle for anything less than 24x7x365 support.

Your web host should be reachable at least through phone and e-mail.

Control Panel

While many hosting providers may have their own control panel, it is wiser to choose a provider who has a well-know panel such as cPanel, WHM or Plesk so if and when you migrate, your websites, you won’t face a major problem.

Assess your web host provider and use this as your checklist before you purchase a dedicated server so you.

At Artyvision, we have only the industry’s best hardware, support and prices!