Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

December 15, 2010

Things To Remember With Dedicated Hosting

Your business has grown enough to need it’s own dedicated host - congratulations! This is a big step. However, there are a range of common mistakes that are made in the first move to dedicated hosting. Dedicated hosting, if done right, can be the best thing for a growing company. Although, you should be aware of some of the common pitfalls when switching over.

Backups

Back up your data. It’s a simple concept but most people don’t realize that they are now completely responsible for their data. In most shared hosting environments your data is being backed up by the hosting company. If it wasn’t, you probably had a nice easy control panel to use when setting up backups. You may or may not have this luxury in dedicated hosting. Be sure and establish a good back up plan for your dedicated host.

Security

In a shared hosting environment, the bulk of the security concerns are offloaded to the company that manages that server. This means you’re not responsible for keeping up with the changes in security protocols that happen just about every day. With dedicated hosting, you’re going to be entirely responsible for the upkeep and maintenance associated with keeping a server in top shape when it comes to security strength.

Too Much Too Soon

Dedicated hosting can get expensive fast. It’s important to realize that while your site may have outgrown its shared hosting environment, you may not need a super computer to run it. Be sure and carefully consider what your hardware requirements are before settling in on a dedicated hosting plan.

Virus Scan

This is in the same category as the security issues. Most shared hosting companies handle all of the virus scanning and its software choices. This means when you move to dedicated hosting, you’ll have to make the decision on how to handle scanning for viruses on your sever. You’ll have to choose the software and key in on what approach you’ll want to take in virus prevention.

Troubleshooting

This is a big one. While some hosting companies offer a bit of assistance, a lot of dedicated hosting companies don’t offer troubleshooting support to people who have dedicated hosting plans. This means that any errors in the operating system may be entirely yours to fix. Make sure you, as the webmaster, have the knowledge to accomplish this.

Don’t let all of this scare you away from dedicated hosting. Dedicated hosting can be one of the greatest moves a small business can make. Just remember to carefully consider all the options before choosing a plan.

Tags: dedicated hosting,  dedicated host,  web host security,  hardware requirements