What is "dedicated" Web hosting?

Dedicated Web hosting is the opposite of shared Web hosting. Dedicated servers are owned by a Web hosting company but rented out and used by a single customer. Web sites in need of a lot of disk space and/or data transfer and/or Web sites that have very specific software needs may opt to rent a dedicated server. Shared Web hosting is usually sufficient for most small and medium sized businesses.

What is dedicated server hosting?
Dedicated server hosting is simply renting an entire web server from a dedicated web hosting provider. The hard disk storage space is usually of high capacity and the technical support quite thorough. The dedicated hosting option allows you the ability to maintain a large website while not having to be concerned about employing the staff to support it.

Dedicated hosting permits inpiduals and business to lease pre-configured, state-of-the-art equipment and connectivity from a hosting service provider. Instead of simply sharing server space on a virtual server, dedicated hosting gives you the opportunity to lease an entire server for your own exclusive use.

With a dedicated server, you can exercise total control over your Web presence. You can choose the operating system and software you wish to use, and inpidualize settings for your multimedia and e-commerce requirements. Dedicated servers are a good choice for customers that require custom software or enhanced server control but do not want to make the significant up-front investment required in purchasing a server

Dedicated hosting is more desirable for users with more sophisticated needs, since it permits the deployment of more complex applications, as such databases, streaming media, and high-end e-mail solutions. Dedicated hosting solutions also have the ability to host multiple sites on one machine. Such solutions are usually provided on a world-class network connection, and include 24x7 monitoring of the server and network availability.

The fact that the hosting provider owns the dedicated server is a significant benefit to you because they are responsible for maintaining the equipment and the redundant connections to the Internet. If a hardware component fails, the provider is responsible for replacing it at no cost. The other advantage of dedicated service is that it is custom-designed for each customer. Advanced hosting providers will allow you select specific CPU speeds, disk space requirements and other hardware components. Such automated server specification processes maximize your return-on-investment by ensuring that you only select the hardware you need.

Because of these advantages, dedicated servers can be considered a superior service allowing you access to more reliable avenues of content distribution and control over your hosting environment. With more control, however, comes more responsibility. Customers who select dedicated hosting solutions will require a certain amount of competency in IT and server administration issues in order to properly maintain the server. This will mean a greater investment of time and human resources than what a "virtual" or "shared" server requires. Furthermore, dedicated servers will require a much larger financial investment. Usually, dedicated servers range between $150 and $750 US per month.

Dedicated servers are therefore considered an entry-level hosting solution for the small to medium sized enterprise.

When should I choose a dedicated server over a shared server?
Dedicated server hosting offers you the opportunity to rent an entire server with on-location technical support. You can customize the server as you want. You should select a dedicated server hosting if your web site requires customized options or your web site needs a dedicated resource due to the high amount of traffic.

What are the advantages of dedicated server hosting?

• Do not have to purchase own equipment
• Do not have to update/maintain equipment
• Can purchase a package based on own needs for Hard Disk Space and Data Transfer Allowance
• The servers are as fast, powerful and high-capacity
• Upgrading your server or adding a new server is easier and more cost effective
• Good for large business
• Good for high traffic
• Multiple domain names
• Powerful email solutions
• Powerful database support
• Unlimited software support

Managed Dedicated Hosting
A managed hosting service offers the support and expertise to maintain your server and to perform routine maintenance without your involvement. This can be a viable alternative to hiring your own staff to maintain your servers.

Unmanaged Dedicated Hosting
Unmanaged hosting, despite its name, does not really leave you entirely to your own devices. Most hosting companies offer a certain level of support for all their dedicated hosting packages. This support includes hardware maintenance with extra technical support available if you need help with configuration or software installation.