A shared hosting service has its own limitations. You tend to have a limited control on the shared type of server. In a shared server type, you cannot control huge traffic. On the other hand, making your choice towards a dedicated server will benefit you in many ways. A dedicated server is useful for companies and individuals that run complicated applications that require good bandwidth. Also, the performance must be consistent and flexible too. In a dedicated server, the customer has exclusive rights to the bandwidth of the server, memory and storage space too. A dedicated server is indeed expensive. But it is worth it. It also allows you to configure the dedicated server as per your options. You can also avail facilities like 24*7 email and web based tech support.
In the first part of this article, you might have already checked on the various types of indicators that can help you to decide to move on from a shared hosting service to a dedicated hosting service. In this part of the article, you are going to see more indicators which are as follows:
1)Need for a managed server: At one point of time, the company may start feeling the need of a managed server. At that time, a dedicated hosting service is recommended. Mostly, shared hosting services have un-managed servers. A business cannot afford frequent down time to happen. A dedicated web hosting service will reduce the down time.
2)Need for customer service: At one point of time, the company may require efficient customer service. At that time, a dedicated hosting service will be the right choice in order to obtain good customer service. Mostly, a shared hosting service, do not have dedicated customer service. There might be shortage of persons to answer the phone or people who are responsible for answering the phone calls, may themselves not know much about the service. But if you choose dedicated hosting service, you will get reliable customer service. Dedicated web hosting services are provided with good customer service representatives who will be able to deal with all types of issues and inquiries raised by the customers.
3)Need for multiple domains: Companies may feel the need of multiple domains. At that time, the company should opt for a dedicated host. A shared hosting may allow use of one domain. But a dedicated hosting service provides multiple domains facility on the same account.
4)Need for databases: At a particular point of time, the company may require databases. At that time, the company should decide to move on towards a dedicated server. MYSQL databases are of great values to many businesses but shared hosting do not mostly offer databases. Even if they offer, they may just offer one. In the case of a dedicated hosting service, you get the opportunity to have several databases.
Nowadays hosting prices are so low that everyone can offer custom service just purchasing from somewhere a reseller account and selling space. For this reason, the real primary difference characterizing a quality hosting is the customer care offered. Not having a real technical support would cause you troubles and possibly freeze your activity, if you don't know how to solve the issue or if you are facing a server-side problem.
A good help desk, and possibly a live chat system are two evaluable tools making the difference when in need of a prompt help. In fact, when you need to solve a problem you need a swift response, if you want to optimize your time and focus your attention to content creation, rather than troubleshooting.
Moreover, your hosting company should offer you tools to improve your pages, and enhanced scripts to add dynamic content, such as open source forum board scripts, e-commerce scripts and so on. For instance, many hosting service providers are giving today a script called Fantastico script, that is a sort of script library, an effective help to webmasters to enrich their content pages.
Another thing you should be aware about, is whether your hosting company gives you access to advanced features, such as the ability to set cron jobs, change files permissions and editing your htaccess (for example to do a mod_rewrite). If you don't have particular needs, a Linux server with Apache is better than a Windows server with ISS: usually it is cheaper and gives you access to more features.
The ability to execute CGI-BIN scripts, a flexible mySql database and compatibility with PHP, ASP, Perl and similar are further requirements you must pretend from a modern hosting company. These services must be included in the basic service offer, while there are hosting companies offering them for an additional extra price.
Anyway, the real primary need is a 99.99% guaranteed uptime and an high value of bandwidth, because your server must be always online and available to everyone. Usually hosting services offered at extremely low prices are usually overselling their server resources, thus resulting in wide down-times, exposing your site to the risk of being delisted from search engines, because of the continuate failure of web crawlers to index your site.
As a last note, always check what is the payment method, if the payment is recurring and you need to sign a subscription, and make sure that pricing will be the same when renewing your hosting, because many companies charge more later, and have binding contracts.
Both Web Hosting Geeks & Arthur Almon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Arthur Almon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development. Arthur Almon is a hosting expert running , an omnicomprehensive free hosting guide on the net.. Arthur Almon's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.