January 27, 2012
The What, How and Why of a Dedicated Server
When it comes to dedicated servers, we know that a lot of what’s involved may come across as confusing. If you’re new to the world of web hosting especially, you may quickly find yourself in over your head where dedicated or managed servers are concerned. However, just because you’ve got a lot to learn does not mean your company will have to go without superior Web performance! If you’re ready to upgrade to a full-on dedicated server hardware system, we’re here to make the process as painless as possible. No matter what you’re looking to accomplish with your new server system, we’ve got the information and the know how to help you find the perfect option, as well as maintain it once you’ve secured it. So without further ado, let’s jump directly into your new dedicated server adventure, starting with:
What is a Dedicated Server, and Why Do I Need It?
First of all, if you’re in desperate need of a dedicated server, but have only been told you need one, you might like a better explanation of what the technology actually is. Understandably, this might be somewhat confusing, so we’ll try to keep this as basic as we know how: We’ll use a metaphor.
Up until now, you’ve likely been using shared hosting to host your company’s website. In this arrangement, you’ve essentially been renting what amounts to an Internet-ready apartment: You’ve been paying a monthly fee for a space that’s technically a part of a much larger whole. You share this space with potentially hundreds of other tenants, though obviously, they aren’t directly on top of your space. However, if you aren’t careful, you may quickly find your neighbors being noisy, or perhaps more selfish than you’d like. In less abstract terms, this means shared hosting will inevitably lead to less processing power, as well as less storage space for you. It’s a nasty scenario, especially if your business is growing, and growing a lot. So what’s the solution? A dedicated server.
In comparison to shared hosting, a dedicated server is like renting an entire house, rather than just an apartment space. You have your own space, just as before, but the floor plan has gotten a lot bigger. Likewise, there’s ample room between you and the neighbors, guaranteeing an increase in safety, as well as performance. In essence, purchasing a dedicated server plan is making the decision to rent an entire server, rather than just a portion of a server shared by many other users. You have full access to all the available processor power, as well as all the disc space. In a sense, it’s like taking the training wheels off your Internet bike and upgrading to a Harley. But when do you need this kind of performance?
A dedicated server is really only a good idea when your company or Web traffic has grown to a much larger size than before. If you’re pulling in thousands upon thousands of viewers a day, your shared hosting account will ultimately clog up, and then crash. Your small chunk of the server simply cannot keep up with your demand. To remedy this, a dedicated server is a great idea, as it allows for a lot more processing power, as well as much more disc space. This translates to better traffic management, as well as even more potential to grow as time goes on.
How to Maintain Your New Dedicated Server
However, most of that can still be found somewhere else on Google. So let’s assume that you’ve already taken the first steps, and that you’ve gone ahead and secured a dedicated server to put your name to. When doing so, you’ve really got two unique options. If you’ve chosen managed dedicated hosting, your job is done. The company you’ve purchased the space from will handle all the extraneous maintenance, leaving you free to worry about the site’s creation, management, etc. However, if you haven’t opted for a managed server, all of this is now up to you. Of course, if your budget allows you could hire an IT professional to handle the matter for you. But if you’re more of the gung-ho type, you can use the tips below to ensure your new, shiny toy stays running just as well as the day you signed the lease. Starting with:
1. Use a Solid Operating System: When setting up a dedicated server, you’ll have the control to choose a specific operating system to run your website upon. With this arrangement, we’d highly suggest you choose a Linux or UNIX-based operating system for your server. Linux is by far a more stable platform, and with a vastly huger uptime and performance level than Windows, it’s easily your best bet for uniquely impressive Website quality.
2. Use the Automatic Updater: Once you’ve selected your preferred operating system, we also strongly suggest you keep the box updated regularly. All major server operating systems come with some flavor of automatic updater. When you can, simply open the thing up and check to see what’s new. All security and firmware updates should be installed as soon as possible, while smaller things might could be put off a bit longer. Still, an up-to-date system is a solid one, and if you’re looking to run high-intensity code on your server, you’ll want the latest support for languages like CSS, jQuery, etc.
3. Keep Redundancies: If you can, talk to your dedicated hosting provider about daily backups. All good providers should offer this kind of service, and ensuring your data is stored elsewhere is really the best way to maintain your server in general. This prevents any disasters from being too devastating, and also keeps you secure from viruses and other malware. Additionally, always keep a copy of your website stored elsewhere away from your provider, preferably on a cloud-based server. This, combined with a backup of your entire server, keeps you safeguarded against a large downtime in the event of unwanted disasters.
Categories: Dedicated Servers |
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