What is dedicated server hosting and how can it benefit your business?

Date published: 01 February 2013

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Dedicated server hosting is a web hosting system whereby the entire server is leased or sold to your company and you don’t have to share it with any other businesses. It also means that you can configure the hardware to suit your needs and also choose the type of operating system that you use – whether that’s Windows or Linux. Dedicated servers are usually provided without management but if you need server administration then it should be possible to arrange this without too much hassle.

There are lots of companies providing this service now though opting for dedicated server hosting from Talk Talk is still a bit more expensive than sharing your server with other companies. That said, there are plenty of good reasons to spend the extra bit of cash.

For example, it can make all the difference if you are a web hosting company as there are fewer variables that can have an effect on the performance of the server. Some of the most common ones include overload, too many applications or different components being uploaded and also bad codes and scripts which is often a problem when you share your server with other inexperienced users. With a dedicated server on the other hand, you can be sure you’re only installing software and applications that you need and that have been vetted by your head of IT.

If you opt for a dedicated server without administration then it’s important that you have a good knowledge of the operating system that you’re using so that you can deal swiftly with any issues that arise. If you’re not comfortable taking care of the administration yourself then it might be an idea to hire an IT specialist who can look after the server for you. In recent years server security has become a big issue for many companies, particularly those who deal with sensitive information, so it’s vitally important that you keep your server security up to date.

If you have been sharing your server hosting with other companies up until now, but have seen a big increase in the volume of traffic to your website then it might be time to think about a dedicated server host. Busy online retailers, web hosting companies (as mentioned) and any other business that sees a lot of visitors to its site on a daily basis could really benefit from the stability and security offered.