Even if you’re a beginner in the world of online business, there’s nothing wrong with getting a dedicated server for your website from the start. A dedicated server is all about running and supporting ONLY YOUR websites. There won’t be anything else taking up its valuable processing power. It offers you complete control over everything that’s going on inside your server.
You don’t have to just rush when it comes to purchasing dedicated hosting that you find. You’ve got to do your homework first to figure out what specifications make a great server. Keep reading to find out what things you should consider before purchasing a dedicated server.
#1. Disk Space
It is one of the most imperative things to consider in a dedicated server. You don’t want to end up getting a server that can’t hold all your website data or have a hard time accommodating your growing site! What if your site expands in just six months, or even next year? You don’t want to get stuck with space limitations. So, invest in a dedicated server hosting package that offers plenty of disk space.
#2. Bandwidth
Without bandwidth, your site isn’t going anywhere. Bandwidth refers to data transfer, or more simply, how much info your site sends out and receives back each day. When someone downloads files off of your website that requires bandwidth. When you’re looking at purchasing a dedicated server hosting package, you need to take a close and careful look at how much bandwidth will come with your package. If you get too little, you could run over that amount in the middle of the month. Then access to your site is going to be cut off, while everyone sees a message about your bandwidth overage. So, assess how much traffic you plan to handle, and then plan for a little more than that. That should give you an idea of what kind of bandwidth you’ll need with your server plan. For more information, check our dedicated server hosting services.
#3. Processing Power
The processor is the engine that makes your whole server run, just like it is in your personal computer. It’s also the part of the server that does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to your site. You don’t want your site to slow down every time more than a few users access some hefty resources! This is one of the biggest keys to having a snappy, responsive site. It defines the performance of your website.
#4. Memory (R.A.M.)
Here’s the other area of your server that really determines how responsive your site is. This memory is known as RAM, or random access memory. Site slowdowns can occur when the server needs to hunt for data on the actual hard disk. To speed that up, the data gets moved into RAM for faster access. This translates into faster load times for your users, and less time wondering if the site is down or just slow. Look to get as much RAM as possible into your server for the sake of performance. A good amount of memory combined with a great processor equals a site that simply can’t be beat!
#5. Managed Dedicated Server & Pricing
You should go for a managed dedicated server if you’re a beginner and do not have the skill set of a system administrator. It might cost some more bucks but it will give you the extra time you need to focus on the other activities of your business. Speaking of cost, don’t forget to get a cost breakdown of your package and enquire about what’s included and what’s not! For example: Is there any software licensing fee? Cost of upgrades, scalability, downtime costs, migration policies etc.
CharityHost is offering a 50% discount on custom fully supported dedicated performance servers in Canada, Germany, and France as well as 25% discount in the USA. Free migration included. For more information about our hosting services and pricing, contact us!
