What is a dedicated server?
When companies need servers, but don’t want the hassle of managing an infrastructure in-house they often go to data centers. In the data center they can either colocate their own servers or pay for dedicated servers. Dedicated servers are servers that are leased to businesses and can be accessed remotely through the internet. Businesses don’t have to send in technicians when there are issues with the server because dedicated servers are managed by the data center technicians. Dedicated servers are built to your specifications and are connected to a private vLAN.
How to choose a dedicated server
Choosing the right dedicated server can make a world of difference. In order for you to get the benefits of using dedicated server solutions it’s important that the provider customizes your servers to your specifications. This includes providing the memory, hard disk space, bandwidth, and operating system that your company needs. When choosing a dedicated server it’s important that you consider the following:
Technology
- Check with your provider that they have the operating system you need to run your server. Some of the most popular operating systems used for dedicated servers at Vault Networks include Windows, Centos, Redhat, LAMP, and custom OS.
- Be sure to select a server that has enough RAM to support the tasks your company completes.
- Having enough bandwidth is essential, especially if you are hosting a site or access your server constantly.
- Each data center is unique and this means that the level of management provided may be more in some and less in others. Vault Networks, for example, has expert technicians on-site 24/7/365 managing your dedicated servers. This saves you the hassle and the cost of sending over your own technician to deal with the issue.
- Your network connection can mean the difference between operating efficiently and struggling to get to your data. It’s important to take into consideration the quality and consistency of your provider. At Vault Networks we use an optimized routing tool that selects the best network connection and sends your data through it. This means a more consistent uptime and faster connection!
Your Budget
- When getting a quote from a dedicated server host it’s essential that you clarify the final monthly price. Selecting a server you know you won’t be able to afford months down the road can put a cramp in your operations.
- Check for the following fees:
– Setup fees
– Software licensing fees
– Upgrade fees
- Check which hosting package provides the most bang for your buck. Your package should cover several hours or unlimited support per month, depending on your needs.
Backup Services
- Losing your data could mean big problems for your company; this is why it is important that your dedicated server provider also provides backup services.
Power Redundancy
- Even if a provider provides all of the above, if they do not provide power redundancy you may find yourself leasing a server that doesn’t provide the best uptime. Vault Networks not only provides power redundancy, but there are also massive generators in the building that will keep the servers running for a limited amount of time when regular power goes out.
Before making a final decision be sure that you have answered the following questions:
- How powerful of a server do you need?
- How important is access time to you?
- Do you have massive or sensitive data?
- If you are hosting a website, how much traffic do you need to support?
By comparing dedicated servers you can find the right one and the right specifications for your company to run smoothly.
Tips for choosing the best dedicated server provider
Choosing the right dedicated server provider is just as important as finding the right server to lease. No two providers are the same and what they offer in terms of dedicated server packages vary greatly. It’s important that you not only ensure that your provider offers the servers and resources you need, but also that the server is being housed in a safe facility. You don’t want to find yourself leasing a server from someone’s makeshift garage/data center. Some of the important things to look for in a dedicated server hosting data center include:
- Reliability – Your uptime can determine whether you will have seconds of downtime or days. Your data center should be able to guarantee a certain uptime through SLA. Vault Networks, for example, offers 99.999% uptime for dedicated servers, this means IF (and that’s a big “if”) there is downtime it is limited to only a little over 5 minutes. Reliability can be provided through network and energy redundancy, as well as security measures.
- Flexibility – It’s inevitable, your company will continue to grow. Even though that is a good thing, if your company is equipped to handle the additional customers, your server may not be. This is why it’s important for you to check with your data center whether or not you have the ability to increase your resources to accommodate your growing business. A dedicated server should allow for scalability by providing the option to customize your applications, increase disk space or bandwidth and upgrade your hard drive as needed.
- Network – Most data centers will have multiple network providers to ensure greater connectivity. Vault Networks has partnered with multiple tier 1 service providers to offer the greatest connectivity possible for your dedicated server. By using a network routing system Vault Networks keeps you connected through the highest performing network provider.
- Security – When hiring a data center for dedicated server hosting be sure to ask, and if possible see for yourself, how secure the facility is. Also, ask your data center associate if they offer firewalls for your server. Vault Networks has multiple check points, a biometrics authentication, locked cages, and combination locked lockers. This ensures that no unauthorized personnel will have access to your data or your server.
Trusting a data center with your data can free up your IT team to tackle more pressing matters. It will also take the hassle out of building an infrastructure because you won’t have to go out and purchase hardware and software or even build an in-house data center. The benefits are endless as long as you choose the best server and provider to fill your company’s needs.
If you are interested in finding out more information about Vault Networks dedicated servers and hosting services please call us 305-735-8098, option #2, send us an email : Sales@vaultnetworks.com, or Chat with one of our reps live.