Standard Dedicated Hosting
If you need the total control of virtual hosting and even more resources than your host can provide on a shared host, then what you need is a dedicated server. A dedicated host, like the name implies, is an entire server dedicated to your applications. Because the server is only used by one client, there are rarely any restrictions on just how far you can go to fine tune every aspect of it and most hosts are willing to work with you to customize a server to meet your specific hardware needs.
The biggest advantage of a dedicated server is the raw power and performance a server can bring to bear on a single function. Without other clients to worry about, a dedicated server can deliver the speed and endurance normally given to hundreds or even thousands of people to a single user. Most people would never need that much muscle from a hosting provider, but if you have tens of thousands of visitors, need to back up libraries of information, require an email server for hundreds of employees, or are running a heavy duty content management platform for your company, then anything less than a dedicated server simply won’t cut it.
Collocation Services
Collocation is the word used to describe a situation where a client rents space from a host and uses it to house their own server. With collocation services, you retain absolute control over the server and everything on it (including total control of the hardware, something you don’t get with standard dedicated hosting) while gaining the advantages of keeping a server inside a professional data center: redundant internet connectivity at speeds far greater than most commercial connections; power backups, generators, and power monitoring systems that immediately alert when there is a power loss; 24/7 disaster response; a clean computing environment; careful climate control; and a multi-layered secure, recorded, and alarmed environment to safeguard against tampering, sabotage, or theft.
Collocation shares many of the advantages of dedicated hosting. When deciding between the two, a number of factors come into play. The biggest difference between them is that the client must either build or purchase their own server. This lowers the cost of hosting because there are no equipment fees, but it frontloads the cost by forcing the client to purchase a server upfront. Whether it’s cheaper to request a dedicated server from a host or to build your own server and get collocation services depends heavily on the type of service you need, the cost of the collocation services, whether or not you can afford to spend money purchasing a server, and if don’t mind waiting to recoup the difference in cost.
All in all, collocation can be quite an attractive option for people looking for a dedicated host who already have a server, people who don’t mind paying upfront for long term savings, or people who want the assurance of actually owning the physical server and don’t mind paying a little extra to get it.
Managed Dedicated Hosting
A managed dedicated server is a dedicated server, as discussed in the previous section, that is completely serviced and maintained by the hosting company. Managed dedicated hosting plans are the Grand Poobah of hosting solutions. In addition to the server you’d get from a standard dedicated hosting plan, the host also provides a number of valuable services. We here at The Aldridge Company monitor server loads, perform software updates, complete full backups, and offer the services of our full time IT support staff to help troubleshoot any problems that may arise to our managed hosting clients.
The best way to think of managed dedicated hosting is as “the total package.” With it, you get your own server, your own IT support, your own server administrators, and your own network support staff, all for a flat fixed fee with no massive up-front costs. If you need the best server with the best service, you need a managed dedicated server.
Hopefully this article has cleared up some of the mystery surrounding the various hosting options and helps shed some light on which hosting solution is best suited for a given situation. Which solution a client will ultimately choose will depend entirely on a client’s needs and just how much they’re willing to send to get the job done. For most people, shared hosting is more than enough. Some will need the control offered by virtual hosting plans. If you’re worried about scalability, take a look a cloud hosting. For real power, dedicated servers are the obvious choice. Collocation services change the pricing dynamic, and managed dedicated servers are the king of hosting options.
If you would like to discuss hosting plans with a quality, reputable, professional, service provider, give The Aldridge Company a call. We provide top-tier hosting services for each of the hosting options above, in two state of the art data centers located in Houston, Texas. Our full time IT staff and server administration team are here to ensure the highest possible level of service and support, guarantee the greatest possible uptime, and maintain a world class network capable of sustaining any size hosting need no matter how big or how small.
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Tags: Cloud Servers, Collocation Services, Dedicated Servers, Shared Web Hosting, Technical Support, Virtual Hosting, Web Hosting
