Posts Tagged ‘Collocation’

Managed Dedicated Servers and Corporate Collocation

June 1, 2010 - 2:14 pm No Comments

With so many people launching their own websites for business and commercial purposes, there is this greater need to utilize managed web hosting services as opposed to shared hosting services. Make no mistake about it; there are many benefits to using shared hosting services. The number one benefit is of course, its affordability. Since there are multiple users sharing the cost of web server maintenance, prices can be offered at very, very low rates.

However, subscribing to managed hosting services is a worthwhile investment to online entrepreneurs and ecommerce minded business people. There are more benefits to using a single web hosting service.

What is managed web hosting in the first place?

This type of Internet hosting goes by a number of names, like: managed web hosting, managed dedicated servers, managed hosting, dedicated hosting services, and dedicated servers. In this type, web developers or website owners usually have full and exclusive control of the server(s) that they are utilizing. This means that they have a controlled pulse on the server hardware, software and operating system that is active in their website(s).

In some instances, web developers can even opt for server administration as well; and the server company can provide technical support on a regular basis.

What are the advantages of using this type of Internet hosting?

As stated earlier, there are more advantages to using this type of Internet hosting. A couple of which includes:

1. You can choose your own operating system and operating system support. You can either choose a Linux system (or other open source operating systems such as CentOS, Debian, Fedroa Core,) Microsoft Windows SPLA Server, and Red Hat Enterprise. Having the liberty to choose the application means you can avail of operating systems that you are most familiar with, which practically saves you time in regards to learning the ropes of a new system. Aside from that, you can also choose which OS would actually fit your budget best. If you are a bit tight with the buck, you can always go for OS that is open source technology based, because these are usually offered for free.

You can also have add-on services or support systems like: application patches, OS kernel upgrades, system extensive vulnerability resolutions, and even upgrading on the latest security fixes.

2. If you are particularly pressed for time, you can easily outsource the managerial duties for this Internet type of hosting. You can very easily hire a 3rd party service provider to do: backups and restoration; database administration; DDos (distributed denial-of-service attack) protection and mitigation; disaster recovery; DNS hosting service; firewall services; intrusion detection; load balancing; monitoring duties in regards to the server; performance tuning; programming consultation; software installation and configuration; technical support; user management; and updates on the application, antivirus programs, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) hardware and the operating system itself.

3. Finally, since you are having exclusive control of the web server, you can use extreme security measures on your website(s.) This is particularly helpful to online based companies who rely on the gathering, storing and the encryption of large volumes of data. The Internet hosting company can very easily provide you anti-virus applications as well as scanning systems and firewall protection against possible hackers, spammers and worms.

Tags: , , , ,   Posted in Online Business |

Important Tips for Web Hosting

December 27, 2008 - 4:57 pm No Comments
Web Hosting asked:

After the registration of domain name selection of web host is another rational step a user need to consider. Though, finding an ideal host is a daunting task. One can find several companies offering web-hosting services to the clients. While locating keyword web hosting in the search engines one will find more than 100 million outputs!

One cannot deny the fact, for a successful online presence a dependable web hosting is must. Online presence and accessibility of a web site is must. If not, one should remain ready to loose clients and prospects. For an instance, if one compare this with a traditional business.

CATEGORIES OF WEB HOSTING:

One should select a web hosting deal according to his/her site. One cannot fulfill his/her requirements from same hosting deal for a personal web site, web site meant for email newsletter subscription and archives, e-commerce site or web forum. Web hosting can be divided into four prime categories:

1. Virtual (shared) hosting,

2. Dedicated server,

3. Collocation server and

4. Reseller hosting.

Two most applicable hosting are virtual (shared) hosting and dedicated server.

What is Virtual (shared) hosting? It is a condition in which several web sites share one server. It is a low cost hosting because price is divided between several users. One can locate a standard virtual hosting at a rate of $100 a year.

In a Dedicated server hosting company lease the whole web server from a particular web hosting company. The site of web server is the web hosting company. One can opt dedicated server as a suitable option who does not wish to share a server with other web masters. One can find a dedicated server in two forms managed and un-managed. If one talk about managed server, company will take care of all the setups of user’s server. However, in unmanaged server user needs to take care of all these by him/her self. The benefit of this sort of hosting is that one can fully lodge web hosting as per his/her requirements. Moreover, for a site with ample amount of visitors a dedicated server is the only rational choice. Due to higher cost, starting from $100 per month, those companies that know the worth of Internet business generally use it.

One can say that Collocation server is quite identical to dedicated server. Disparity lies in the fact that company doesn’t take the web server on lease. Their own web server is placed in the web hosting company. In addition to it, company has material access to their web server, which is not available while talking about a dedicated server.

If one mention about Reseller hosting it is aimed to those companies only wishes to begin their own web hosting business.

ASPECTS, WHICH ONE NEEDS TO CONSIDER:

There are many factors which a user needs to consider to prevent any future miss happens:

Web space:

Requirement of Web space vary from site to site. Off course, if user requirement is only a web site containing basic information about him/her and his/her work excluding the use of web applications, then space of 50 MB is quite sufficient. However, a complex e-commerce site along with numerous products in one’s database demands a capacity of 1 GB.

Bandwidth:

The term Bandwidth refers to data transferred from user’s web site and that comprise of graphic details, images, banners and files for download. One should have accurate knowledge of Content before going for an amount of bandwidth. When one talks about the majority of sites, bandwidth of 10 GB a month is quite sufficient, though for few other sites like sites related to desktop wallpapers can frequently consumes even hundreds of GB a month.

Up time or visibility:

It symbolizes time articulated in percents displaying the period a site remained online. One should not be cheerful because someone assured him/her to provide say for 98% up time because it is not going to fulfill his/her requirement. One should get at least 99.7% uptime. Believe it or not, it definitely matters.

Email accounts:

Email accounts are an integrated and crucial part of web hosting package. It is quite interesting to know for how much will one get only a so called catch –all forwarding which means that all emails sent to somewhere@mydomain.com will arrive to one’s email address or one can set-up email accounts for several users? Also the thing is for how much? Is it intended for 5, 10, 100 or limitless email accounts? In addition to it, there is no harm to verify whether user get a so-called POP3 email address (“real” email address), web mail or rather both? If one has a POP3 email address then he/she can check his/her emails via favorite email client and web mail facilitate the user to inquire his/her emails at any place demanding just a computer and Internet connection.

Form of Server, tools and control panel:

When one mention the two generally utilized hosting then the name of Unix-based or Windows platform comes first. It matters for the result program languages, databases and scripts that one can apply. When one talks about Unix-based platform, general selection is relayed to PHP language along with MySQL, however, when it comes to Windows platform ASP or ASP.NET language will be along with SQL Server. One should enquire that is database is available with package or not, if yes, then how many? Nowadays, contemporary web site must be database-driven.

Too, one should have full knowledge related to tools coming along with web hosting package, if there is only applications for web statistics, file manager and things it is not an concern issue.

Technical support:

A crucial aspect while selecting a web hosting particularly for a user without having adequate technical skills is technical support. A proper technical support does not take a responsive time more then a day. This is not liable only to selection of web hosting company, but, crucial to any of the company selling products and services, Software Company can be one of the examples.

The coordination of few of the companies is so well thought-out that it takes only 1 hour to give response to user’s queries! Through their source of contact one can predict about the future response. Do the concern company has only email support or also have phone support? Does they provide a toll-free number? Do they offer the facility of trouble-ticket system? Working time is another crucial aspect. What is their strategy of providing technical support is it during working hours only i.e. 9 to 17 or does they provide the facility of 24×7 technical support? An ideal way to detect their professionalism one can create a list of fake queries, drop a line to them and hang around to know their reply time.

Testimonials:

Several web hosting and software companies have this smart way to increase their customer strength. Testimonials section contains the approval of satisfied customers, attracting more people to their service. This section is not completely reliable. Several hosting companies offer their clients to analyze their portfolio, instead of doing that one should contact webmasters who are taking the service of concern host and register their opinions. One can take help of several sites for further information regarding best web hosting deals and suggestions.

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