A dedicated server would be the ideal hosting option for a business that frequently experiences high traffic on its website. However, choosing the right company to do so is trickier than imaginable.
There are many variables in place that should always be looked at when choosing a dedicated server. Since these servers are built to be reliable, with the user being the only one using the resources of the server, it’s important to go for the service that will provide the best possible experience to your customers.
As an industry cliché, there is no right way of choosing the best dedicated server and the decision should be done specifically to your needs.
So with all that said, we’re going to tell you how to uncover those needs and choose the best possible dedicated server for your website.
1. Understand Your Bandwidth Limitation
There are many definitions as to what bandwidth actually means. Usually, in the technical world, it refers to the speed of transfer of data, but the meaning in the hosting world is somewhat different.
Bandwidth, when choosing any kind of server, points out at the amount of data your dedicated server provider will offer you. Bandwidth is a very important variable that must be taken into consideration. When determining this option, some websites require more and some require less.
Streaming websites or websites that have a lot of videos require more bandwidth, while another website requires far less. It is because websites that offer downloading media and streaming websites are in need of far much more data so that their service could be supported.
Another important aspect of bandwidth is the number of users you get on a daily bases. If let’s say, we have two identical streaming websites. Both have the same amount of data, but one has far more users than the other. The one with more users will require much more bandwidth for the same amount of content as the other.
2. Understand the Security Measures Available to You
This is probably the single most important aspect of choosing dedicated servers, as security is of utmost importance to high traffic websites.
High traffic websites are far more likely to get attacked by hackers than others. It is because of this that you always speak directly with your website hosting to determine the following:
- In what way does the hosting company plan on protecting your website from hacker attacks?
- Does the hosting company have any environmental safety?
Determining the level of security the hosting company can offer you can be easily achieved if you follow through these two questions.
To give you an example of a good hosting provider, we are going to give you an answer to the second question.
Namely, if the hosting company in question is as professional as they market themselves to be then they will inform you of any measures of backup to protect your website in the case of emergency. They will also have their very own data center from where they can easily get your website up and running in the case of an emergency. For example, a good dedicated hosting provider that owns all the above-mentioned is www.cherryservers.com.
3. Storage and Upgrade Needs
In the beginning, you won’t need much storage as you start your website. But the storage plan can drastically change once things start kicking in. In this case, the hosting provider must be able to upgrade or downgrade you based on your needs.
However, it is considered the best practice to make sure that the hosting provider has the following to offer your dedicated server:
- SSD storage
- The amount of HDD’s available for your hosting.
Now, SSD’s are essentially HDD’s, but they are much, much, faster and offer greater performances. With all that said, a 1TB SSD is much more expensive than a 1TB HDD. SSD’s also are much less likely to fail, so this should be something that the hosting provider can offer you.
4. Invest in Memory
Memory is very important when it comes to customers and providing the best possible experience for them. Memory refers to the speed at which your website will open, regardless of how much data is written on it.
Memory is crucial if you don’t want to lose any of your visitors. Since website visitors will not hesitate to exit your website if the load time is slow, it is important that you greatly invest in this feature.
As a general rule, memory is displayed in RAM. Every computer has RAM memory and it is an essential piece of hardware.
There isn’t any limitation on RAM, but as a general rule, it is advised for the hosting provider to offer you at least 1GB of RAM for every 2,500 daily visitors. The hosting provider should also be flexible enough and offer you upgrading plans as your website scales in traffic.
5. Discuss Price
At the end of the day, it all comes down to how much you’ll pay for the service, and believe us, this isn’t something that will neither be cheap nor expensive.
Luckily for everyone in need of a dedicated server, most fall into the line of $60/month. Most hosting providers will even offer you a cheaper deal if you pay for the whole 12 months in advance, as opposed to the month by month bases.
However, you should know what you’ll be getting for that $60 as well. Namely, a $60/ month dedicated server will usually have around 10 GB of SDD with another 500 GB HDD storage, around 8 GB of RAM for the memory, high website security with frequent scans and monitoring, as well as, backups in the case of an emergency.
This doesn’t mean that the hosting configuration we just mention will suit you. However, it is important to understand that a dedicated server is a must if your website experiences high traffic regularly. Make sure that the hosting provider meets your needs and can be flexible enough to upgrade or downgrade based on circumstances.
Each website in need of a dedicated server will require different features and configurations. Make a plan of yours and inform the hosting providers what those are.
