What is a Dedicated Server?
A dedicated server is when a single computer in a network is reserved for serving the network. Some networks require that one computer be set aside to manage communications between all other computers. A dedicated server could also be a computer that manages printer resources.
Knowing what you intend to use your dedicated server for is the first step to deciding the best place to search for a server host. The main components of a dedicated server include the operating system that it will run on, bandwidth restrictions, security settings, and compatible software that will be run on the server. Most importantly you will need to focus on a company that provides great customer support, which may or may not qualify as cheap.
What should you look for?
The easiest solution is to google cheap dedicated servers, and you will encounter pages of results of companies that offer dedicated servers for consumers. Some companies you may have heard of such as InMotion, but most server providers are much smaller companies that don’t advertise themselves.
Simply put, a lot of customers have invested in dedicated servers and have had mixed results. Performance reviews have been all over the place in terms of bandwidth restrictions, bug protection, and proper support in terms of OS updates. Online blogs although informal and not always credible, have always gathered the most personal reviews and experiences. It’s important to remember that because issues have happened to one customer, it’s always possible it can happen to you.
Realistic Pricing Options?
Some of the cheapest dedicated server pricing has started as low as $35 per month, but again you must weigh in the fact that these will be the most basic packages with bare minimum components. For most packages, the basic components include features such as CPU quality, disk space available for RAM, storage capacity, and additional prices that may ensue for obtaining your own domain.
To truly find the best dedicated server that is cheap, the best advice to give is to research some review sites to compare specifications as well user experience along with a cheap price. Some examples are as follows:
Of course there are many more review websites, and there are likely hundreds if not thousands of places you can obtain a dedicated server, but user experience suggests that the absolute cheapest product you find will likely fall short in terms of frequent performance issues and poor customer support. An ideal price range you would want to target would be around $50 to $100 per month, and you would want to make sure that you avoid paying for extras. When a site advertises pricing, you want to make sure you are paying for the important components such as the system CPU, RAM size, and disk space. But with any package you invest in, pay for a product that charges a little more to make sure you get unlimited bandwidth, and 24/7 customer support.
Best Advice for your Search
The results are usually quite simple where if you go for a larger company, you will likely pay more for a product but you will get a sufficient package size with the better customer support. Vice versa, smaller companies may offer you bare bones in terms of product which can be cost effective, but you risk running into troubleshooting that is either not covered by the company or is less knowledgeable of issues you will run into.
The best advice to give is to use your expertise level in dedicated server environment as an influence in your decision. Those who are new to dedicated servers should pay a little more for better customer support. Experts are in a better position to take a risk with cheaper products who can more likely troubleshoot any problems they would encounter.
