If you’re looking for the best hosting option for your business, a dedicated server can be a great solution. But it will require effort on your end, from setting up the infrastructure to regularly updating and maintaining your server. 

The good news is that many dedicated server hosting providers offer managed server solutions where they handle all aspects of server management and maintenance. 

In this article, we’ll walk you through managed dedicated server hosting, its advantages and disadvantages, and why your business needs it.  

What Is a Managed Dedicated Server  

Managed dedicated server hosting allows you to “rent” an entire server without the hassle of managing it. Instead of dealing with the tedious task of operating system updates, storage upgrades, backups, security patches, and performance optimisation yourself, the hosting provider will handle it for you. 

Managed servers are most suitable for businesses that don’t have their own internal staff or those that want to free up their IT staff so they can focus on other tasks. 

Who Benefits from Managed Dedicated Server Hosting 

If you’re a company with over 500 employees, manages large amounts of data, or receives hundreds of ecommerce transactions daily, a managed dedicated server is a good choice for you. It’s also perfect for tech-related businesses that need the flexibility of a customised server to suit their resource-intensive online applications. 

RELATED: 6 Reasons Why Dedicated Server Hosting is Best for High Traffic Websites 

Managed Servers: Advantages and Disadvantages to Consider Before Making the Switch 

Advantages 

  • Cost-saving 

Since the hosting provider handles the technicalities, you’re able to cut costs on server setup and regular in-house maintenance. This allows you to allot your budget and resources to other areas of your business. 

  • Technical expertise 

You don’t have to worry about doing regular data backups and timely upgrades because the hosting provider will handle those tasks for you. This way, you can rest easy knowing your server is performing at its fullest potential, which, in turn, improves your websites’ user experience. 

  • Time-saving 

The time you need to spend on managing servers could be better used on the more important areas of your business. With a managed dedicated server, the provider handles the installation, integration, and maintenance work, freeing you up more time to run and grow your business. 

  • Scalability 

The more your business grows, the more resources you’ll need. If you don’t upgrade to meet those demands, your website’s performance may suffer, and you risk experiencing costly downtime. 

On a managed dedicated server, you get the option to upgrade your server resources without worrying about migrating to a different server yourself. You can ensure that the hosting provider has the necessary resources and technical expertise to handle your business’s growth. 

Disadvantages 

  • Costly for startups or small businesses 

Dedicated servers are naturally more expensive than shared web hosting. While this may not be a problem for many mid to large enterprises, it’s often too expensive for startups or small businesses. 

  • Migration 

Since you don’t own the server, you can’t take it with you when you switch providers. You need to migrate all your data as the provider will lease the server to someone else. 

  • Outsourced response 

When a technical issue arises, time is of the essence. Working with a hosting provider means reaching out to a remote support team to resolve the problem rather than an in-house expert that can fix the issue right away.  

  • Censorship 

Some providers won’t let you host everything on their servers. There are certain types of content that they may prohibit, like adult content, political content, online gambling, malicious scripts, and more. This is their way of protecting their company’s integrity and principles. 

In a nutshell, the pros and cons of Managed Dedicated Server can be summarized as follows:

PROS  CONS 
  • Save on expensive hardware upgrades, IT staff, recovery plan for any disaster, etc. 
  • Costly for startups or small businesses 
  • Get technical support from your managed service provider in case of any issues 
  • You must migrate the data when you want to transfer to another server 
  • Management and maintenance are taken care of so you can focus on your business 
  • Getting assistance from a remote team may take some time 
  • Your space is scalable as your business grows 
  • Some hosting companies may censor website content they deem malicious 

Focus on Running Your Business, Not Your Server 

When you leave your server responsibilities to your hosting provider, you’ll have enough time and energy to focus on other aspects that will help your business grow. You can relax knowing a team of experts are on top of your IT infrastructure, ensuring it provides optimal performance 24/7.  

Leave your server management tasks to the experts with Fully Managed Dedicated Server Hosting today. Contact us to learn more.