If you have come to the point where you need to make this choice, then you are already aware of the advantages that a dedicated server can offer. You just need to decide what flavor: managed or unmanaged. There are huge differences here and they do matter. You need to make judgments of more than just the web host’s abilities; you need to also look at your capabilities and honestly assess whether or not you have what it requires or want to devote the time and manpower to manage it. Let’s examine the two options and help you see things more clearly.
A managed dedicated server offers you the world. You get all the security, space, freedom and flexibility that the server allows. You are not hampered or limited by anyone else’s sites or security issues, and the expense and expertise associated with maintaining the hardware, software, security patches and more that goes into managing a dedicated server.
You are able to choose operating systems, install any software or scripts that you’d like to, and have complete freedom within your email programs, as well as being able to configure and optimize your server in any fashion that your business requires. There is simply no comparison to a shared hosting environment; it’s akin to the difference between driving your own car and taking the bus.
Your managed dedicated hosting service will take care of all the technical aspects of maintaining your server and security, leaving you and your team free to do the things that you need to do to grow your business. They are generally very available to managed hosting clients, and their team is far less expensive than it would be to have a full time IT person on your payroll.
While the costs of a managed dedicated hosting plan are not cheap, the freedom, peace of mind, and service are definitely worth it.
If you are interested in the unmanaged dedicated hosting option, then you should know that while you’ll still enjoy most of the aforementioned benefits, along with paying less for this type of account, but there are a few crucial aspects you’ll be lacking.
Sign up for an unmanaged account, and shortly you’ll receive an email with your login and password credentials, along with other pertinent details, and then you’re on your own.
You’ll need to be able to handle almost all of the technical aspects of managing your server on your own. It’s not something you can learn as you go. That would be prohibitively expensive, as you’ll undoubtedly end up hiring someone to help you. There is usually help available from your hosting provider in emergencies, but it will cost you, and it’s not cheap.
Buying an unmanaged dedicated hosting plan necessitates that you or someone on your team has the skills to manage the server and its security. It would be a disaster to proceed without this in place.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to choose a managed or unmanaged plan comes down to whether or not your team can handle the work of maintaining the server in a competent, consistent manner.
