The Ultimate Guide to Dedicated Hosting

Congratulations! Your business website is ready. Now, you might be thinking about web hosting. With so many different options available, it makes things even more confusing.

You need control and versatility but none of the options provide that. Then there are technical jargons thrown around everywhere and if you are unaware of what each of these technical jargons entails, you will have a tough time making the right decision.

To help you clear all the confusion, here is a complete guide which will tell you everything you need to know about dedicated hosting.

What Is Dedicated Hosting?

In layman terms, dedicated hosting gives you access to a physical server that is dedicated to your website only. There is no other website hosted on it, so your website gets exclusive access to all the resources. Dedicated servers also give you more freedom to configure it and deliver blazing fast performance, as resources are dedicated, not shared.

Why Choose Dedicated Hosting?

Dedicated server hosting might not be the cheapest option around, but it more than makes up for its exorbitant costs by delivering some great advantages over other hosting options.

Reliable and super-efficient dedicated Windows and Linux based servers.

Related: Past, Present, And Future of Dedicated Servers

Here is a quick rundown of the benefits of dedicated hosting that will convince you to invest in it.

1. Performance:

With all the server resources dedicated for your website, you will better be able to deliver flawlessly smooth website performance to your users.

2. Reliability:

Dedicated hosting is great when it comes to handling sudden spikes in traffic and keeping your website up and running under any condition.

3. Security:

With your website being the only entity hosted on that server, you don’t have to worry about your website getting hacked if other websites on the server come under cyber-attack.

4. Control:

Install any software you want and configure the server in accordance with your business needs. Dedicated server hosting provides more freedom and control that businesses only dream of.

5.Support:

Struggling with server configuration? Contact technical support anytime and they will resolve your queries within minutes round-the-clock.

When Should You Consider Dedicated Hosting?

Just because dedicated hosting is all the rage does not mean that you should jump on it. Dedicated hosting is not everybody’s cup of tea. If you have a small website that does not attract too much traffic, dedicated server hosting is not for you. So, who do dedicated servers cater to?

Before we answer that question, let’s look at some of the factors that will help you decide whether your website needs dedicated server hosting or not.

1. Size of your Website
2. Performance Needs
3. Data Privacy
4. Budget

First of all, you need to analyze the size of your website. Dedicated servers are a great option for large websites housing hundreds and thousands of pages, attracting tons of traffic on a daily basis, such as an E-commerce website.

Secondly, is performance a priority for your website? Do you need blazing fast performance on a constant basis with minimal downtime? If the answer to both these questions is yes, then you should go for dedicated servers.

Do data privacy and security mean a lot to you? If so, then a dedicated server fits the bill perfectly as your website is the only website hosted on it, so you don’t have to worry about other websites getting hacked.

For those on operating on a shoe-string budget, there are other affordable options out there that won’t break their bank. If you can afford to pay top dollar for exceptional performance and fool-proof security, a dedicated server is perfect for you.

How to Choose Dedicated Hosting?

Even if you are sold on choosing a dedicated server hosting for your website, you must be fretting over choosing the best-dedicated hosting for your business needs? Here are some of the things you should consider when choosing a dedicated server.

1.Hardware

Akin to a computer, a dedicated server is equipped with a processor, memory, storage, and bandwidth. You should assess your needs and ask yourself questions about what you are going to do on that server?

Will you use it for high-demanding tasks such as video transcoding, virtualization or running specialized and resource hungry applications or use it for less resource-intensive tasks? The answer to this question will help you choose the right hardware for your dedicated server.

2.Software

Which operating system would you install on it? Which software and applications will you run on the dedicated server? Even though dedicated server hosting gives you the freedom and control to run any software, you should decide on which software you will run on it to make the right choice.

3.Type of Server

Depending on your usage, you should select a server. Here are some of the most common types of servers.

1. File Server
2. Database Server
3. Domain Server
4. Communication Server
5. Application Server
6. Print Server

4. Disaster Recovery

Do your dedicated hosting provider offer backup and disaster recovery services? How quickly can they get your website up and running in case of a disaster?

How regularly do they take the backup of your website? Knowing the answer to all these questions is critical before choosing a web hosting provider.

5. Reviews and Extras

In order to gain a competitive edge over the competition, web hosting providers are offering handy extras to their customers. Don’t miss out on these extras as it makes IT management a breeze. Secondly, read customer reviews and testimonials to know what customers think about the services of hosting providers.

Do your research and take customer reviews and testimonials with a pinch of salt. Visit forums related to dedicated hosting and there you will find a list of best-hosting providers and get to know the service quality of each service provider. This will make the decision-making process much easier for you.

Did this dedicated hosting guide help you in choosing the right dedicated hosting for your business? Feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.