Dedicated Server

Deciding what type of web hosting service you need can be complicated, but choosing whether or not you need a dedicated server can be even more so. Chances are likely that when you start out, you'll have your website hosted on a shared server, renting only part of a server that you share with other websites and companies. You might, however, actually need to move up to a dedicated server – in which your website rents the entire server – as your traffic grows. Here's how to tell if you need this type of server.

If your website is starting to use a lot of bandwidth each month, you may need a server of your own. Contemporary hosting services often offer lots and lots of data transfer each month even on shared servers. Sometimes, though, you'll have to pay extra if you need to use extra data transfer. In this case, you may end up spending a fortune on your website, and a server dedicated to your business with unlimited bandwidth could end up saving you money.

If you need your website to run very quickly with lots of graphics and other bandwidth-consuming pieces like PHP, then you may need a dedicated server to give you the speed that you need. If you log on and notice that your website isn't running quickly enough, then you may need to upgrade to a server that is all your own. You can be sure that if you notice your website running slowly, so will the people you need to draw in to visit it. In fact, if a site takes more than a split second to load, your potential customers will click on to another website to find what they need.

If you need a website that runs special programs like back end java and game programs, you'll probably be forced to use a dedicated server. When you are renting an entire server, you're normally allowed to completely choose what types of software runs on the server. You may be able to buy a package that gives you administrative services at the hosting company, or you can administrate the server on your own. If you need ultimate flexibility and the ability to use more programs and software on the server than you are allowed to use on a shared server, you'll need to find an affordable dedicated server for your needs.