Archive for dedicated server
Solid State Drive (SSD): A Solid Solution To Your Speed Problems
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re concerned about your dedicated server’s speed performance, and have exhausted all other avenues of improvement, then maybe it’s about time you pursued a Solid State Drive (or SSD) for your server. It’s an expensive method, but it will get the job done, to be sure. In case you need a bit more convincing—We sure would!—we’ve compiled this handy guide to the costs and benefits of an SSD below.
What Is A Solid State Drive?
Solid State Drives are massively different than your typical hard disk drive (or HDD). The complexities of either’s construction could take years and a Master’s degree to explain, but to put it simply, an SSD has no moving parts, while an HDD involves a rotating magnetic disc. HDDs have been used in modern electronics far longer than SSDs, simply because SSDs only took over the scene a scant few years ago. All of your older hard drives were likely HDDs, which is why an ancient computer makes such a cantankerous whirring sound when coaxed into running.
Why Do I Want An SSD
There are several benefits to removing the spinners in your hard drive. Most noticeably, an SSD performs calculations far faster than a traditional hard drive. Where an HDD must spin at anywhere from 5,400 RPM all the way up to 15,000 to be productive, an SSD simply goes. Because the moving parts have been removed, electrons can be shuffled much more efficiently, removing the need for unstable rotating discs. On that note, an SSD is less prone to skipping during its encryption, as there’s nothing to be jostled or knocked out of place. In essence, an SSD provides improved stability, as well as drastically increased speed.
Sounds Great! Why Wouldn’t I Want It?
To put it simply, an SSD is pretty damn expensive. How much so? Well, let’s just say if you have to ask, you probably don’t have a big enough budget. An SSD also can’t write data nearly as fast as an HDD, though its downloading speeds are several times greater. In essence, if down-pipe speed is essential for your business, an SSD is a must-have. In all other cases, think about it for a while, and weigh the costs and benefits.
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Dedicated Server Hosting: How to Tell if Your Getting What You Paid For
Posted by: | CommentsYou’ve shelled out the expenses for a reliable dedicated server for your business. It’s all said and done, and the funds are out of your account. Not only that, but now you’ve got access to the hardware, and have starting uploading your site files. However, how do you really know for sure if you got what you paid for? I mean, you can’t see the hardware yourself, so how do you know your web hosting provider isn’t giving you the finger by cutting corners in the dark?
Thanks to the beauty of Linux, and it’s various diagnostic tools, you can figure out pretty quick, actually. Use this guide and the commands held within to run a quick system analysis, a simple way to check if you’re actually sporting the hardware you aught to be.
Start With the Proc, Doc:
Seriously, the /proc file of your Linux directory is dedicated to nothing but logs, hardware information, and systems analyses. With that in mind, this is your first and best stop to figure out exactly what kind of equipment you’ve been saddled with. To check, simply access the directory with:
cat /proc/cpuinfo
Your printout should be something like this:
processor : 3
vendor_id : GenuineIntel
cpu family : 6
model : 15
model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5150 @ 2.66GHz
stepping : 6
cpu MHz : 2660.033
cache size : 4096 KB
Obviously this is what’s important. Be sure to check that everything looks kosher, especially the model name of your CPU. If you paid for a Celeron, and have a Xeon, we’d suggest you give someone a call.
The Big One
There are a couple of other directories we could have you check, but if you really need to know more about your web server, there’s only one command left to run: the lshw command. This one tells you more than you ever wanted to know about your hardware, and with that in mind, you’ll want to save its massive output to a text file for easy perusal. To do so, simply run:
lshw > hardware-info
This will dump the command’s entire output to a simple text file named “hardware-info.” From there, you can open the file however you like, and scan its (truly extensive) hardware report. It will be rather complex, so be sure to pay extra attention. That being said, no matter what you’re looking for, it’s in there somewhere.
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From Dedicated Servers To Managed Hosting – Life In The Fast Lane
Posted by: | CommentsThe world of web hosting has seen many drastic changes in the past few years, and the speed at which changes are being roped in to make the whole concept more efficient and useful is always increasing.
Managed Web Hosting is a term that would certainly interest many webmasters who seek hosting plans to develop and sustain their online businesses. This service works in close conjugation with the concept of dedicated servers. Though dedicated servers are great resources to have in your arsenal of web hosting plans, there are some technicalities associated with the same that dampen the buzz to a great extent. Managed web hosting jumps to the rescue and does exactly what it claims – it simply manages the web hosting.
The Need Of Managed Hosting
When the traffic on your site becomes almost too much to handle and strains the servers, you should consider a dedicated server, and this is where you might also examine managed hosting providers. Maintaining a dedicated server would mean that you have a lot more to chew than what you initially agreed to, and this is where managed hosting makes life easier by providing all the services such as monitoring, reporting, load balancing, database handling and security concerns.
Finding The Right Managed Host
Remember, many people have made the move you are about to make, i.e. shifting to a managed hosting plan. Therefore, their reviews become the best resource of guidance for you. Invest some time in scanning through the reviews of the managed hosting providers and try to locate those that would suit your needs. Also, you would do well to research as to which dedicated hosting providers offer you managed hosting services as well.
Pick A Reliable Hosting Provider
You need to be assured that there would be help available when needed. In order to test a prospective managed web hosting provider out, send in a query and ask a few tricky questions. A prompt and thorough reply is ample reason for you to further consider the services of a managed hosting provider confidently. However, there is food for second thoughts if the reply is delayed and not satisfactory.
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How Strong Should your Dedicated Server Be?
Posted by: | CommentsYou’re pretty sure that you need a dedicated server. You’ve decided that you need its power or accessibility; or perhaps you’ve had this decision made for you by a provider that can’t host your site on a shared server anymore.
This article is going to assume that you’ve already done the double-checking necessary to make sure that you can’t get by with another lesser solution. You know you need to go all the way. But how far is that? And dedicated server hosting that offers this usually offers it at multiple levels. How much do you need, and how can you tell?
If you can, take it in steps
If you can deal with making your server a bit of a guinea pig, most hosts will let you start with a lower package and work your way up. It may mean that you undershoot and your site goes down a few times, but it’s at least a sure way to make sure that you don’t pay for anything more than you need to. It might make your host a bit cranky at having to constantly adjust your hardware, but trust me, you’re sending them $100-$300 a month. They’ll do it and they’ll like it.
Memory more important than CPU
Processor cores long ago became unfathomably powerful. Your machine can handle lots of work. What it might not be able to handle is a lot of number-crunching work. If your site is complicated, with lots of streaming and complicated database calls, then more than a fast machine you’re going to want a meaty machine. If your site is heavy enough to actually require your own server, then you’re likely going to want to go with at least 4GB of RAM. Hosts can go higher than that, but you’re probably best settling on that for starters: lower amounts are usually available, but typically not for that much less cost.
CPU still worth a few extra bucks, though
By most reports, quad-core (at least) is the way to go these days. That’s often offered as either a mid or high-level offering. Don’t break the bank going for it, but if you can get a good quad core for maybe $100 more than a dual or single core you’re likely to find it worth it.
With all of these things, don’t be afraid to have nice, long conversations with your web host. This is one area in which you are sure to get good support: the only people that they would even allow to handle your services are the people who know this kind of stuff inside and out. They’ll often enjoy how much good, detailed information they can give you (that whole geeky ego boost thing). This goes even more if you were previously on a shared server, as they can tell you exactly why you were moved, and what kind of service will satisfy your site’s requirements.
Again, don’t be afraid to experiment. This is your machine, and no one at any host who wants to keep your business is going to begrudge you doing what you need to get it exactly right.
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New Services Launched by Evalice
Posted by: | CommentsSpanish web hosting provider, Evalice, recently announced the launch of its new website and service improvements. The company will now offer reseller, VPS and dedicated server hosting to its customers. All three new offerings are fully managed so the company is responsible for all aspects of the hosting including management, monitoring, security and update installation to allow the client more free time to focus on their business.
Maintaining a High Level of Quality
Evalice currently has servers in three countries in Europe; Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. This is a strategic move to provide high-quality hosting services to customers worldwide. Also, Evalice is planning to improve its services at night so it can deliver the same level of service during daytime business hours. Since their clients are all across the globe, it is night somewhere on Earth at all times. Therefore, it is important to cater to those customers as well.
New Website Information
The CEO of Evalice released a statement discussing that the new website will provide customers with more information about all the new servers the company has to offer. Also, it will display company news, organizational information and material regarding the new infrastructure used by all servers. This information should allow potential clients to become customers.
Evalice in the European Web Hosting Industry
Evalice is a leading provider of innovative enterprise web hosting solutions in the European marketplace. The company has an excellent reputation for looking to improve all services to its customers at an affordable price point. The improvements will certainly increase traffic to the website.
Three Dedicated Server Hosting Packages
The dedicated server hosting package provides three different plans: Managed Web, Managed Pro and Managed Max. The Managed Web plan features AMD X2 Dual-Core servers with multiple configurations and DirectAdmin software. The Managed Pro package delivers Intel i7 Quad-Core servers. Finally, the Managed Max also boasts Intel i7 Quad-Core servers 12GB of RAM. All packages are equipped with around the clock support and guaranteed uptime of 99.9 percent.
The expansion of Evalice appears to be an excellent advancement for the web hosting industry in Spain and surrounding European countries. The new services should attract many new clients from across the globe. Also, the new website will turn potential customers into monthly account holders due to the amount of available information regarding services, cost, company information and other critical content.
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Five Reasons to Choose VPS
Posted by: | CommentsVirtual private servers (VPS), or virtual dedicated servers, offer users many advantages when compared to other hosting platforms when launching and maintaining a functional website. The benefits of a private hosting environment offer website owners a wealth of benefits such as enhanced security, reliable hosting resources and increased flexibility.
Security
VPS is perhaps one of the safest hosting platforms currently available. Unlike other web hosting environments such as shared hosting, users are not required to share server space. Instead users share resources of a single physical server among multiple virtual servers. Users appreciate the enhanced sense of security as the VPS hosting environment is separate from other users on the same server. Users have exclusive access to personal stored files and installed programs. The security and privacy features thwart potential hacker attacks and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Many large business ventures favor VPS over other hosting platforms simply because of the extra security it offers when processing and storing sensitive data.
Affordability
In a struggling economy, business owners are forced to tighten financial belts whenever possible. VPS is a cost –efficient web hosting solution. Despite a common misconception that VPS is an expensive web hosting solution, the fact is that a basic VPS plan with the necessary features and tools required to launch and manage a website is relatively affordable on any budget. Unlike other hosting platforms, VPS doesn’t require users to purchase or maintain the required physical server hardware which ultimately saves significantly in operational costs.
Flexibility
Unlike shared hosting environments that restrict users when attempting to install scripting platforms that aren’t supported by the web host, VPS platforms hands the control of customized installation to users by authorizing entry to the root access. Bestowing such control allows users to install and configure desired software; a favorable hosting solution for advanced developers. Additionally, VPS delivers flexibility. Users don’t have to limit themselves to the basic programs provided by the shared host. Instead, users have the ability to install programs of their choice, as long as the software is compatible with the host’s operating system. Furthermore, VPS hosting accommodates an unlimited number of web applications for a fully-functional websites with enhanced features and services.
Hosting Multiple Services
In addition to hosting websites, VPS hosting is also a great option for meeting the need of numerous other hosting needs. VPS is an ideal solution for storing files for backup as well as hosting e-mail servers and FTP servers. Both small and large companies take advantage of such hosting as it allows users to manage remote file access with an increased sense of security and reliability.
Many entrepreneurs opt for VPS hosting in addition to meeting their own hosting needs, but also for reseller hosting ventures. VPS hosting plans usually come with enough resources to support and manage multiple websites, thus a lucrative investment for a start-up business.
Additional Hosting Resources
One of the greatest drawbacks of other web hosting environments such as shared hosting is the limited access to valuable hosting resources including storage space and bandwidth. Although advertised as offering unlimited features, with multiple users sharing the same resources on a single server, the truth is that once the server becomes strained, users find themselves competing for the necessary resources to adequately maintain their websites. Website owners choosing VPS, however, appreciate the private server environment without having to compromise the quality of services delivered to manage a website.
Conclusion
With the security and flexibility VPS hosting offers to users at a fraction of the cost compared to other hosting platforms, it’s a sensible option for both business owners and individuals interested in establishing a reseller hosting company.