subject: 3 factors to keep in mind while choosing the best dedicated server [print this page] 3 factors to keep in mind while choosing the best dedicated server
Dedicated server which is also known as dedicated hosting is nothing but a powerful computer that acts as an internet server alone. Several hosting companies are there renting such dedicated servers and paying the required amount, you can have full control over the same. Dedicated hosting is way cheaper when compared with the collocation hosting services where users need to buy the hardware.
For any website, a hosting acts like a home. But, with a dedicated server, things get even better. You can start off an e-commerce site of your own or go with a group of websites at the same time providing pretty high security. More importantly, if your website starts attracting a lot of traffic, you need to shift to dedicated server, so that users don't have issues like slow page loading or something similar.
But, as new hosting companies are being started every other day, it gets tough for you to choose the best dedicated server for you. Well, you don't need to be a hosting expert to make the decision, but just before you rent one, check these credentials to make sure, you have made the best selection:
The supported operating system
Open source operating systems like Linux or UNIX generally are common for any hosting service. But, you should look for those which provide other open source programs like CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu etc as well. There should be options to update the core system so that latest security patches or fixes can be accommodated. Thus, it will relieve you from the pressure of server management and make your server secure and safe at the same time.
Connectivity and Bandwidth
The amount of data that is transferred from one point to another at unit time is known as bandwidth. Its unit is bits per second. The more bandwidth that a specific company provides, the better it is. The uptime is also an issue closely related with connectivity. Choose a company that provides something between 99% - 100%. Remember, the high quality dedicated server providers should be multi-homed spread across several quality uplink providers.
Additional IPs
Check out the number of additional IPs being provided for free with the dedicated server, the more the number is, it is better for you. In general, you should be content with 2-3 free IPs per dedicated server.
These are only the three most important factors while choosing a dedicated server. However, your budget plays a role too. The more you can afford the better dedicated server you can get. Saying that, choose the best so that your money is not wasted.
