If you expect to do the majority of your business online, the choice of how you host your web servers will be one of the most vital considerations when setting up your systems. Get this wrong and you'll find you aren't able to meet the expectations of customers, leading to lost business and a negative reputation.
Therefore, choosing the right type of server is vital. There are three basic options to go for - shared services, virtual private servers and dedicated servers. While all three have their own strengths and weaknesses depending on what you hope to use them for, if you're developing web applications or running an ecommerce platform, dedicated server solutions are usually the best way to go.
Freedom of choice
This was stated by PC Pro magazine, which explained the key benefit of these offerings is that you get total control over the hardware through a browser-based control panel and root/admin-level access for advanced operations. What's more, it's completely up to you what operating system you choose, so you can select one that has the right features and modules you need. Linux-distributions and Windows Server are the most common options.
High bandwidth availability
Although these tools are more expensive than shared service, the fact they are solely for use by your website is another huge bonus for dedicated services and one that could be a deciding factor if you need to run a reliable, fast website that can cope with large numbers of customers. If you are using shared connections, these are unlikely to offer enough bandwidth to cope with periods of high traffic, even if it is just for short periods. This can frustrate customers who find themselves unable to complete a transaction and ultimately cost you revenue - something no business wants.
While this will be important for all online businesses, those that offer web applications or other services delivered via the internet will be particularly affected by this issue.
PC Pro concluded: "In other words, if your core product is delivered to the customer via the internet, rather than being a physical product that is merely ordered online, a dedicated server is likely to be the best choice."
