In the web hosting business, the dedicated servers also known as dedicated hosting servers or dedicated web server, are the Rolls Royce. A dedicated server is a powerful computer that is used to host single domain or multiple domains. A dedicated server can be used by single person or a complete big organization. The dedicated server is leased and stored in the datacenter of the host company.

A dedicated server consist of an operating system (Linux or Windows), softwares like SQL server, control panel and connection to the Internet. The server is housed in the web hosting company’s premises. Dedicated servers are specially designed for high traffic websites, it can be a single website or group of website that develop a substantial amount of traffic. The server configuration can be easily customize and the necessary applications can be installed on the server. The server can be operated remotely from the client company. It can be assigned to function only as a resource server and cannot be used as a client. The dedicated server is owned by the web host and you don’t have physical access to the server.

A dedicated server hosting is beneficial while developing complex corporate and powerful online business applications or a high end e-commerce website as you will need more hard drive space and security - a web server dedicated to your business. The server can be purchased from web hosting company and the server maintenance and management part is taken care by the web hosting company. The web hosting company provide internet connectivity to the server, the server connectivity may vary from 10 or 100 Mbit/s Ethernet. Dedicated servers are most often housed in data centres to provide redundant power sources and HVAC systems. You do not need a large initial investment to set it up.

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A dedicated server is itself, the physical piece of hardware that your web hosting provider rents to you. It comes with its own processor, hard drives(s), Random Access Memory (RAM) and bandwidth capability. You can have hard drive(s) or disk space, bandwidth as per your requirements. Unlike shared hosting plans, dedicated servers are customizable. So you have freedom of selecting the Operating System (Linux/Windows with different versions), Control Panel, Dedicated IP’s along with the storage capacity and the traffic unit.

While in shared hosting you are restricted to the use of bandwidth, you can even get unlimited bandwidth with dedicated servers. So you are no more concerned of any down time or slow speed even if your site is getting a huge traffic.

In shared hosting where you are allocated a few MB or GB of memory you can never be able to install any programs as it consumes much space. Even a hosting provider won’t allow installing the programs. However with dedicated servers you have freedom to install any applications or programs on it. Your website and its associated software will be hosted exclusively on this dedicated server’s hard drives.

In shared hosting only one Dedicated IP is allocated to you. Whereas dedicated servers come with few number of Dedicated IP’s (number may differ with hosting providers). In addition to this, you are free to purchase the whole IP Subnet as far as you are able to give proper justification for each IP you purchase extra.

Although the dedicated servers are much cost effective as compared to shared hosting, however, it is the features and the services offered with dedicated servers which worth the cost. If you are running a business site or a site that might need secret data to be shared then you must consider the dedicated server only.

Dedicated Servers allow you to get Full Root SSH (Secure Shell) on Linux and Complete Administrative RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) Access on Windows. The remote access to the server permits you to view the usage of the resources available and manage them accordingly. Using this Remote access to the dedicated server, you can install and run almost any program. They additionally allow other users, whom you have given access, the ability to connect to your dedicated hosting server and use those same programs at the same time you do. For example as it is done in case of Game Servers.

If you are using MSSQL Databases then you are not be able to use the versions that you need with the shared hosting as they are preinstalled. However dedicated servers let you install any version you need and also there is no restriction on the file size for each database.

As far as security is concerned, it is possible that an account on the shared hosting gets hacked and may affect all the other accounts as well. However with dedicated servers, monitored 24*7, you have Firewall to be installed to be more secure.

We can summarize all as the advantages of Dedicated Servers:-

• No need to purchase own hardware
• Leased or solely dedicated to you (not shared)
• Can get hardware and bandwidth as required
• Can be customized as required
• Complete Remote Access to the server
• Freedom to choose OS
• Selection of MSSQL Databases version (with Windows)
• Right to purchase IP Subnet (justification required)
• Security

Indeed, if you are planning for a server which shall satisfy all your needs and requirements and let you feel comfort, you must consider Dedicated Server to enjoy uninterrupted and high level services.

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If you are searching for a cheap dedicated server hosting provider, you should be very careful while comparing the dedicated server hosting packages. Things to consider are uptime guarantee, network speed, operating system, hardware options, disk space, monthly bandwidth, datacenter location, backup service, monitoring service and technical support. Ask the dedicated server hosting providers to give you a few dedicated server IP’s or websites hosted on dedicated server for references, read hosting reviews and also check feedback in forums before you sign up and be sure that the price is affordable and the resources are not oversold compare to prices. You should consider the dedicated severs that will give you the most reliability and flexibility for your money.

The above mentioned features are very important to consider while choosing the server provider because you will get number of hosting providers offering the same server specification at different cost. Some of the companies have very cheap and affordable dedicated server plans and some the companies have very costly dedicated server plans. You have to properly single out the company which would be able to deliver good value for the money, have high commitment to quality, and have extremely stable server racks.

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Programming Technologies and Database Servers

Here lies the main difference between Windows and Linux. If you wish to host MSSQL or ASP or ASP.net web pages then the Windows Dedicated Server is a solution for you. We know that ASP and MSSQL being Microsoft Products, it is possible to host ASP scripts only on IIS web Server and likewise MSSQL Server runs only on MS Windows Server. There are many versions of MSSQL Server. Also, Windows is capable of using many tools that are Linux compatible or which run on Linux platform.

While, if you intend to run software packages such as PHP, Perl and MySQL on your server, Linux would make the best option, being open-source OS.

Technical Expertise

Here it goes. When we decide to consider the web hosting platform, technical challenge is the major factor that is taken into consideration. For those who are starting with the Dedicated server, Windows is the best solution for them. To answer, why, its similarity to Windows Desktop and easiness to use is the main reason to consider Windows. Linux being more complex and it’s commands being hard to remember, it is mainly recommended for those who are technically inclined and gain good technical knowledge. Yes, it is accepted that cPanel, the contol panel, has made things easier for Linux users, however, there are still many things that can discourage a newbie.

Conclusion

To conclude, we can say Windows is easier to use, however, it is not only cost effective and can enforce one to get frustrated of just “clicking”. Whereas, Linux being open source, is freely available, however, its complexity and uneasiness to remember number of commands makes users to not to consider Linux. Thus, it can be said that if you want to host personal site, Windows is the solution while for a business site, Linux is the best to opt for.

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It gives you flexibility for customization. With unmanaged dedicated server you get Complete RDP or Full Root SSH Access. Using the remote access you are responsible to install the applications, monitor uptime etc. You may add any softwares and control panels that you prefer if required. You have rights to reboot the server whenever you wish. The web hosting provider may also set you up fully configured OS, including Apache web server, Exim mail server, PHP, CGI etc. on your unmanaged dedicated servers for an additional cost.

If you are good in technical part of the servers then you can go with unmanaged dedicated servers. However, a situation may come when you are not aware of what you need to do as a system administrator. You might think of getting any kind of technical assistance from the hosting provider, however, in this case you may need to spend a good amount to get the support what you want. None of the hosting providers are responsible to pro-actively monitor or restart the services and ensure uptime. Yes they can, however, need a request ticket from you. Many hosting providers who provide unmanaged dedicated servers do offer paid ticket support 24*7 for which you are charged on an hourly basis. Also it is obvious that unmanaged dedicated servers may take a lot of time to administer and you get less time to develop and design your site, resulting in low quality content and features of your site. So it is always recommended that you consider only managed dedicated servers though they are expensive.

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Linux Dedicated Servers are most popular and are offered by many web hosting providers. There are different servers available with Linux OS. So depending upon the requirement you can select the suitable server specification. Also if you need or you are looking for customized dedicated servers then you can opt for that. There are many hosting providers offering customized dedicated servers where you can select the hardware specifications as per your requirement. If you get a dedicated server and needs to upgrade any specific hardware, for example, say RAM then you can just ask the hosting provider and they will help you to upgrade RAM. This not possible with shared, VPS or any other plans however it can be considered as an advantage of Dedicated Hosting.

Linux Dedicated Servers are more secure than Windows Dedicated Servers. The chances of servers being hacked are more on Windows than Linux. The possibilities of Viruses attacking your site are very less as compared to Windows. And suppose if a virus takes hold of your Linux System still it becomes difficult for the virus to damage or destroy the system. Unlike Windows, also, if any virus succeeds to affect or hold the Linux based system, it becomes difficult for it to spread to other Linux machines and repeat the same with other systems. I agree that it is completely safe however it more resistant as compared to Windows.

It is best solution for those who host MySQL databases or PHP based applications to opt for Linux. However if you need to host MSSQL, ASP.net or ASP or simply any other Microsoft product then you must opt for Windows Server.

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If you wish to host MSSQL or ASP or ASP.net web pages then the Windows Dedicated Server is a solution for you. We know that ASP and MSSQL being Microsoft Products, it is possible to host ASP scripts only on IIS web Server and likewise MSSQL Server runs only on MS Windows Server. There are many versions of MSSQL Server.

There are many advantages of Windows Server. The Windows server can be used as a web server using IIS Web Server. IIS Web Server is an application that is included with Microsoft Windows Server installation. Also you can host it as a media server using Windows Media Server application. Apart from these unique features, Windows Dedicated Server also support PHP scripting engine along with the MySQL database server. Both are capable enough to be hosted on Windows although they work better on Linux.

Windows Dedicated Server are dedicated only to you and aren’t shared with any user so that increases the security of your server and the websites too. The non-shareable environment of Windows Dedicated Servers makes allows it to run faster than any of the VPS with similar specification. Also CPU responses to the requests quickly as it is not split between many VPS. Also unlike any other plans like shared hosting or VPS, you have privilege to add more resources whenever needed.

Hence if you are looking to host ASP.net web pages, MSSQL databases and any complex website then Windows Dedicated Server Hosting is the best way to go for.

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The providers employ System Administrators who are responsible to maintain the dedicated servers. They will take care of every thing you require on your server, from installation to configuration. They will also monitor the server for you and will also login into the server in case the services get crashed. Most probably providers of Fully Managed Servers do not provide direct root access or Administrator access to their client to keep the servers safe or to make sure that the client does break them all the time.

If you are looking for full access your search ends here. Serving the clients as far as possible, providing them high level of support without any additional costs is the key to success in web hosting business. All of your requirements are being entertained by the provider however if it comes to a 3rd party product or a s/w they are not responsible. They can help you with installing and configuring the 3rd party product if you are aware of how it works. However they do take responsibility of any product that is a part of your OS, like Redhat or Microsoft products, unless it has been severely damaged by some one at your end.

Hence it is the best solution to consider a managed dedicated server if you are new to the World of Dedicated Servers!

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• Unmanaged Dedicated Servers
• Managed Dedicated Servers

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• Customer may not trust in you, as they might be misunderstood with the service providers due to the Oversellers in the market.
• You are depended on hosting provider to change each server side setting, as you do not get direct remote access to the server.
• You might loose your potential client who needs to install any application, as you do not have enough privileges to do so.
• You may be tied to the TOS in order to upgrade the resources, as you will have to upgrade the package itself, if needed.

What can be the best way for you to overcome all these drawbacks and be the competitive Hosting Reseller? The only solution for this is to get a dedicated server! This ensures you that you do not face any of the above mentioned drawbacks. How?

• You have enough resources to provide to your customer, so you never think of overselling. Thus, looking at your packages, customer shall trust in you.
• You have full root SSH/complete RDP access to the server. Hence, you do not have to contact hosting provider to make server side changes. It helps you to save your time as well as offer you enough privileges.
• You can install any applications on the server remotely. Therefore, if your customer needs any application to be installed on the server, it can be done on his/her behalf by you. As a result, you won’t loose your potential clients.
• You can upgrade the allocated resources anytime when you need. There is no restriction to upgrade the whole package. You are free to upgrade the HDD or bandwidth, etc.

However, if you own a Dedicated Server, is it possible to be the Reseller?

Yes, it is possible for you to be the Reseller even if you own a Dedicated Server. The hosting provider will offer WHM to manage your Dedicated server. They also offer cPanel to manage each individual customer’s account. cPanel/WHM may be an Add-On product offered by the hosting provider. However, the features offered worth the cost.

To conclude, I would say that if you want to be a successful Reseller, you should start with Dedicated Server.

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