Why Upgrade to a Dedicated Server

Before upgrading to a dedicated server, ask yourself:

• What do you plan to use the server for?
• Where do you want your data center to be?
• How do you know if dedicated hosting is right for you?

These questions need to be answered before you can begin the upgrade process. This article will discuss the uses of dedicated hosting, the importance of data center location, and aspects to consider when upgrading your hosting.

Topics Include:

• Is Upgrading to Dedicated Hosting Right For You?
• When should you upgrade to a dedicated server?
• Why upgrade to a dedicated server: Benefits
• 5 Uses for Dedicated Hosting
• Importance of Data Center Location
• How to Upgrade Server

Is Upgrading to Dedicated Hosting Right For You?

Consider the overall impact of using a server where all the resources are focused on your needs.
Time, money, control, and security are often big concerns that impact departments across your organization. Consider how buying a dedicated server in-house vs using a dedicated hosting plan by a hosting provider will impact your company’s time and money. Ask yourself:

• What is my monetary budget?
• What is my time budget?

Why upgrade to a Managed Dedicated Server?

Switching to a dedicated server with managed services from a hosting provider can save time and operational costs with server management.

Small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are more affected by the costs of managing a dedicated hosting environment.

In some cases, SMBs don’t have access to the technical skills for updates and server management without considerable cost. Ergo, a managed dedicated service can help your IT staff to keep things running smoothly with rapid incident response and custom server settings as required.

Likewise, when switching to a dedicated server, you would also benefit from a hosted solution that provides server migration services.

VPS vs Dedicated Hosting

A VPS provides an allotted amount of resources to run your website or web application while residing on a server with other virtual private servers.

On a dedicated server, you have an entire server to yourself. The resources at your disposal are limited only by the specifications of its hardware, as opposed to what is given to you with a VPS. While a VPS offers more control than shared hosting, dedicated hosting provides FULL control over the server environment.

Compare VPS Hosting vs Dedicated Hosting.

When Should You Upgrade to a Dedicated Server?

Here are five signs to help you determine if it’s time to invest in dedicated hosting:

• High Traffic Volumes
• Resource Intensive Applications
• Enhanced Security Requirements
• Customization and Control
• Improved Performance and Reliability

1. Experiencing High Traffic Volumes:

As your business grows, so does the influx of website visitors. If you notice consistently high traffic volumes, you need more server resources.

Dedicated servers can handle large volumes of traffic without degrading performance, ensuring a seamless user experience for your visitors.

2. Resource Intensive Applications:

Certain business applications, such as resource-intensive databases, e-commerce platforms, or multimedia streaming services, require substantial computing resources. 

Switching to a server with dedicated resources provides the necessary processing power, memory, and storage capacity to run these applications smoothly.

3. Enhanced Security Requirements:

Security is paramount in today’s digital landscape, especially for businesses handling sensitive data or processing online transactions. Investing in a dedicated server can provide peace of mind and ensure regulatory compliance, especially if your business deals with confidential information.

Upgrading your server can offer higher levels of security than shared hosting, reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access.

4. Customization and Control:

With shared hosting, you have limited control over server configurations and software installations. Unlike shared hosting, a dedicated server gives you full control and customization of both the operating environment and the security you may need for the server. 

Thus, granting you the ability to tailor the server environment to suit your business needs. This level of control is invaluable for businesses with unique requirements or specialized software dependencies.

5. Improved Performance and Reliability:

Performance issues such as slow loading times or frequent downtime can negatively impact user experience and hinder business operations. Upgrading your server can significantly improve reliability and scalability, accommodating future growth without compromising performance.

Enterprise Dedicated Server

Enterprise Dedicated Servers are servers with robust hardware components and redundant infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and maximum uptime. One crucial aspect that businesses must consider is whether they need an Enterprise Dedicated Server–a premium hosting option.

But when exactly is the right time to make this transition, and why is it necessary? 

Your reasons for choosing an Enterprise Server may be similar to why you would upgrade to a dedicated server. That is, your business or web development project has outgrown the scope of what a standard dedicated server can provide.

At InMotion Hosting, we understand the critical role reliable web hosting plays in your business’ success. Our Enterprise Dedicated Servers are designed to meet the demanding needs of modern businesses, offering unparalleled performance, security, and scalability.

Here’s why you should choose InMotion Hosting for your dedicated server needs:

1. Exceptional Performance. Our Enterprise Servers are powered by cutting-edge hardware and enterprise-grade infrastructure, delivering lightning-fast performance for your mission-critical applications and websites.

2. Robust Security Features. We prioritize the security of your data and applications, employing advanced security measures such as firewalls, DDoS protection, and regular security audits to safeguard your digital assets.

3. 24/7 Expert Support. Our dedicated hosting experts are available round-the-clock to assist you with any technical issues or concerns. Whether you need assistance with server configuration, optimization, or troubleshooting, we’re here to help every step of the way.

4. Flexible Scalability. As your business grows, you can easily scale your resources with our flexible dedicated solutions. Whether you need additional processing power, storage, or bandwidth, we can tailor a solution that aligns with your evolving needs.

5. Industry-Leading Uptime Guarantee. We understand the importance of uninterrupted service for your business operations. That’s why we back our Enterprise Servers with an industry-leading uptime guarantee, ensuring your websites and applications are always accessible to your customers.

Why Upgrade to a Dedicated Server: Benefits

There are many benefits of Dedicated Hosting. But, it is important to find the right managed platform for your needs and research before you commit. Read on for some advantages of managed dedicated server hosting.

Software Updates

If you have a managed dedicated solution, your hosting service will run all software updates to ensure your website has the most current software available.

There are constant updates and patches issued by software companies that can repair vulnerabilities in a program. Some of these vulnerabilities could leave your website vulnerable to hackers looking to crash your system or steal your data. One less worry about managed dedicated server hosting is the need to run regular updates on software, including critical components like software RAID.

Hardware Maintenance

Software is not the only component that must be maintained and updated regularly. Like owning a car, your physical server needs regular maintenance to work at peak levels. Most of us would have no idea what to do if our server crashed, besides calling tech support and praying they can fix it. 

But, with a managed server, your hosting company will ensure that your physical server works well so that you always experience high uptime. This means your website will not crash due to hardware issues. Or, if it does, it will be brought back online as quickly as possible.

Web Traffic

Unfortunately, sometimes too much web traffic can be a bad thing. Traffic spikes can create a bottleneck that slows down your website’s speed, making it harder for the pages to load. As a result, this will ultimately drive your visitors away because they think that something is wrong with the site.

Managed servers are monitored to ensure that such traffic spikes can be handled without causing major problems with your website.

Data Protection

Imagine that something dramatic happens to your server and it crashes taking with it not only every file on your website but also every piece of customer data you have accumulated over the years. You may want to reconsider your current hosting plan.

With a managed server, your hosting company will schedule regular back-ups that you don’t have to worry about. If your website crashes, they can restore your data almost instantly and your site will hardly miss a beat as it gets back online. And, your customer data is safe.

Security

Hacking is a major issue that every website owner and operator has to worry about. On a shared server, your security can be compromised by an unsecured website on the same server. Once hackers get a website on your shared server, they can use the server to access and attack yours. 

However, with a dedicated solution, you don’t have to worry about that as you are the only one on the server. Managed dedicated servers are regularly scanned for viruses and malware and are protected from DDoS attacks and other hacks.

Technical Support

Lastly, a managed dedicated server can save you money in the long run because you don’t have to keep a full IT person on standby to maintain your website. Instead, your managed server host will provide technical support 24/7. They can also assist if there are problems with the server or if you need design help and other technical questions about your site.

5 Uses For Dedicated Hosting

Here are some of the popular uses for dedicated hosting.

Web Hosting

Dedicated servers help your audience get to your website more quickly. In contrast to smaller website hosting plans like shared hosting and VPS Hosting, a dedicated server will provide high-performance speed and stability for your website’s visitors.

Game Server Hosting

Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or are just looking for a way to play with your friends, you can use a dedicated server to host a multiplayer game. Not only does this allow for 24/7 uptime and the ability for your friends to join even when you’re offline, but it also allows your international friends to participate in the game. These servers often become monetized and use pay-as-you-go or subscription systems.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are useful in keeping information secure and only available to specific devices. VPNs allow specified computers to connect with a server. That way, data cannot be accessed outside of those computers connected to your server. This provides increased security and prevents hacking that most shared hosting environments cannot offer.

Data Syncing

Like a VPN, you can upload files onto a dedicated server so that every device connected can access them. These are typically handled via a cloud network, but as with VPNs, files are more secure when only specific devices can connect to the server. 

The primary difference between Data Syncing and a Virtual Private Network is that a VPN will connect computers to your server, and Data Syncing allows files to be stored in one area of your server for future use (almost like a cabinet).

Communication Services

Email is typically sent through computers across the internet, leaving it open for interception. With a dedicated server, you can send Internet Relay Chat (IRC) messages to any device connected to that network. Because it’s a dedicated server, you can encrypt messages and keep them away from the public. This is also useful if you own a business and don’t want employees using their work email for personal matters. The server owner can regulate how networked devices receive and send messages—like email or other forms of communication.

Importance of Data Center Location

With the power of modern servers and Internet data speeds, something like the geographical location of a server may seem trivial. After all, data zips across the Internet so quickly that location may not seem to matter. But, despite the relatively high speed of the modern Internet, users can still experience lag when they try to access data over great distances. This lag becomes particularly pronounced when the user and the server exchange vast amounts of information, such as in a mobile app setting.

In many cases, it is wise to have servers in multiple locations. This approach makes sense for those serving data to users in different vicinities. It also serves as a risk management technique by keeping redundant data and processes on Dedicated Servers in geographically distant locations. If something happens to one server (natural disaster, power outage, etc.) the other can take over.

Where are Your Users?

Naturally, budget and operating requirements must factor into your decision. But, would it be better for your operational goals to explore colocation (i.e., having servers in multiple locations)? Or, does having just one, ideally located server better suit your objectives and budget? Will you need top-of-the-line specifications, or should you go for solid entry or mid-range servers in multiple locations?

The answers to some of these questions can be found in how you will use your server. For example, a mail server should run close to the pool of users that will access it. On the other hand, most customers do not need top-level hardware to run a mail server. As a result, it may be possible to purchase hosting for two or more such servers on different coasts. The reduction in lag, as a result, for users could easily speed up their email delivery times. In fact, the gains could well exceed those resulting from higher-end hardware in a more distant Data Center. Multiple server locations could also create backup redundancy for security and ensure continued operation even in the event another server suffers a failure.

Alternatively, those needing dedicated resources for mobile app infrastructure may want servers close to their user base. If your marketing data reveals the majority of your users live on the US East Coast or in Europe, housing your server on the East Coast with the highest available specifications may provide the best user experience. On the other hand, if most of your users live on the US West Coast, Asia, Australia, or somewhere in the Pacific region, a West Coast server could be key.

InMotion Hosting now offers Data Centers on the US East and West Coasts and Europe. These Data Centers also allow a choice of different server configurations to suit most operational needs.

How to Upgrade Server

With all this information you are closer to deciding whether or not advancing to dedicated hosting is right for you. Dedicated hosting can be a powerful resource for your web hosting experience, giving you more tools and options than any other type of hosting available.

Check out our recent updates to our dedicated server platforms!

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