Should You Sign Up for Unmanaged Dedicated Servers?

Dedicated servers have been found to be ideally suited for client enterprises that need higher uptime guarantees and greater reliability. These client enterprises are not prepared to invest in hardware but they want to enjoy unlimited resources like bandwidth, CPU power, RAM or disk space. Every dedicated server therefore is a robust machine for enterprises which has components that are very carefully chosen to guarantee reliability and optimum performance. But, when you choose dedicated hosting, you will need to decide between managed and unmanaged dedicated servers.

What are unmanaged dedicated servers?

The unmanaged dedicated servers are those where the client will be responsible for managing and securing the hardware. So, the host will install the hardware, network connections, and all other components to make sure the server can run optimally. They will also install an operating system for the client. The rest of the things are to be done by the client itself. The client will therefore have total freedom to install custom software and manage these. When the hardware experiences a problem, the host may intervene, but every other technical problem has to be resolved by the client. So, as a client, you will need to install firewalls, take care of server configurations, and install scripts or software.

Who can benefit from unmanaged dedicated servers?

Unmanaged dedicated servers are the perfect solution for people with a lot of technical expertise. It is undoubtedly the best alternative for users who wish to enjoy complete control over the servers. This is because they can configure the servers independently. In comparison, managed dedicated servers are costlier as the provider will take care of server management tasks wholly. This is a good option when you do not have a very skilled and experienced IT team to assist you.

Requirements for using unmanaged dedicated servers:

• If you sign up for unmanaged servers you will have to be completely self-sufficient as a web administrator. So, you should be able to deploy and run the operating system. You should also be adept at installing and monitoring various web applications, carrying out routine upgrades and security patches, performing system restores, and skilled at overall monitoring of the system and backing up data.
• Since unmanaged dedicated hosting requires you to have a knowledgeable and trained task force, it is much less expensive than semi-managed or fully managed dedicated hosting. You must have complete knowhow of server administration tasks, OS management skills and web application management expertise.

Unmanaged hosting requires you to have a lot of technical expertise because any business that signs up for this kind of hosting will want their sites to be up and running 24x7. Besides a site which is professionally managed, such businesses will also have to ensure that their operating systems and hardware and other applications are always available. This is by no means an easy task because everything, which is related to the site, will have to be running perfectly and it cannot afford to malfunction at any time. Therefore, there must be a replication server to take over main systems should there be any instance of a malfunction.

In short, servers have to be upgraded to sync with the recent technological advancements whenever these get released. Applications must be updated promptly. When these are not done in time, or without proper skill and care, you are likely to face many problems and sometimes these can even trigger a system failure. An online business cannot afford to have frequent downtimes and such failures will translate into huge revenue losses for them. They not only lose customers in the process; they even lose their credibility and reputation. This is why dedicated servers solutions are only for those who have solid administrative experience and knowhow. These will give you root access and you get the freedom to configure all services on the server. If your business has well-trained staff members, you may decide to choose unmanaged dedicated hosting.