The dedicated server market is an absolute minefield, which makes finding the ideal host a tall order. With so many providers out there, all with competitive pricing structures, the difficulty is finding a server host with credentials that match your own requirements. This article looks at 5 key factors Netwise Hosting consider essential in locating that perfect dedicated server provider.

 

1) Service Scope

Your going to want as much value for money as possible from your dedicated server platform. Its very easy to go online and find a provider offering servers for next to nothing, which many will consider to be ‘good value’ – however, you should be far more concerned with the services you are actually receiving for your money. If you look at the very cheap services on offer out in Asia, or even in large oversold data centres in the USA, you will notice the lack of supplementary services that are in place to ensure the dedicated machines function correctly. They may well be inexpensive, and have a powerful hardware set, but they will lack support, proper software provisioning, and access to essential core services such as conditioned power and high-speed transit/bandwidth. Any host worth their weight in salt will have a fantastic feature-rich set of services that surround their dedicated servers, creating an ideal environment from which to grow your business online safely, and without the worry that your service may not have the true ‘value’ it promised you with its attractive prices.

2) Flexibility

A few years ago, flexibility would have likely been omitted from this list. It is only in recent years that the nature of doing business online has changed in such a way that service flexibility has become essential. Your services should grow in line with your ever changing requirements, whether that be an increase in size/scope, or a decrease. With most top providers, you can now monitor your servers usages statistics in real-time, and adjust bandwidth allocations on-the-fly to save any nasty surprises at the end of the month. Flexible billing cycles are also a must to avoid being tied down to one service type for too long. Remember, if you cant directly contact your hosting provider and discuss individual options, then the chances are they are not as flexible as they may seem at first glance.

3) Enterprise-Class Hardware Sets

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and quality dedicated servers are no different. As many people know, Intel make some fantastically fast processors today – their iSeries (i3, i5, i7) is making waves in the home computing market thanks to impressive speed and efficiency. But do you really want desktop-grade hardware in your server? The simple answer is no. There is a marked difference between what you provision inside a server compared with that of a home computer. Server hardware needs to withstand tens of thousands of hours of constant usage, without faltering for even a second. Home computing hardware is simply not up to this challenge. A good service provider will only use server-grade hardware sets, such as Intel’s Xeon range, and AMD’s Opteron range. The same applies for RAM, airflow management and other internals – ensure you are getting an enterprise-class server, not a reworked home machine.

4) Reputation

There are a lot of dedicated server hosts out there today, and one of the quickest ways of identifying the good from the bad is from their reputation amongst users and the community at large. This is more important than size, as it doesn’t only focus on widespread service adoption, but more the quality of services on offer. Check industry forums for user comments, and find out who the host already provides services for – this will give an indication of what companies already entrust their services with the provider in question.

5) The People

As mentioned in some of our previous top tip run-downs, getting to know the people behind the businesses you work with is very important – and hosting is no different. There is a real tendency for dedicated server buyers to simply find a ‘good deal’ and buy the service online through a shopping cart, without ever speaking to anyone at the organisation beforehand. Naturally, this can be difficult with the enormous ‘stack em high sell em cheap’ providers in the USA, but more personable professional business services in the UK and Europe have dedicated staff on call to run through your requirements with you. This will begin building a business relationship with the host, and turn an otherwise basic financial enterprise into a rewarding service partnership. That’s true service value!

Contact a member of the Netwise Hosting team today to discuss how we can match all of the above points and more, making us an ideal dedicated server provider for the savvy business buyer!

The capital required to start your own dedicated server hosting company is excessive to say the least. You need to source a stock of reliable hardware, locate a suitable data centre to deploy your services from, and offer up support and supplementary services in line with the enterprise-class providers that you compete with. Naturally, this isn’t impossible, and there are many dedicated server providers out there who started from humble beginnings (Netwise Hosting included); however not everyone has access to the kinds of financial and technical backing to make it a reality. And starting your own private data centre – well that’s a different kettle of fish altogether.

Yet you can get into the industry with relative ease provided you are willing to put in the hard work and can confidently build a brand upon which people can know and trust. Reselling the services of top hosting providers around the globe under your own brand is a fantastic way to learn the industry and begin making serious money to boot. This sort of 100% outsourcing business model is utilised in many industries, and many of the top hosted service resellers are now very large and powerful brands.

There are two primary methods of service resale, and it is important to understand your own objectives before committing to one or the other.

Affiliate Programs

Affiliate programs are the simplest form of dedicated server reselling. How the programs work can vary between hosting providers, however most follow a similar system to that employed here at Netwise Hosting. Affiliates are provided with a unique link to the providers website, which the affiliate uses to point potential customers to the services on offer. The system then tracks the potential customers activity on the site over a long period of time; if the customer goes on to make a purchase, the affiliate takes a commission on the sale for his/her successfull referal. How the affiliate in question uses their link is up to them. It can be used as a link for banner adverts which they can distribute online, or given to friends as a form of service recommendation.

Here at Netwise Hosting, affiliates are paid 15% commission on the refered sale of server packages. Our most successful affiliates earn many hundreds of pounds a month, and can operate their program around other jobs and commitments. If you are looking for some extra cash each month, and have good sales ability (particularly online referal sales), then an affiliates program is the perfect resale option for you. Its free and easy to use, meaning you need very little in the way of technical knowhow, as end customers deal directly with the host after the sale.

Reseller Programs

Reseller programs are for those operating professional reselling businesses. Services are sold under the resellers own brand. They then purchase the dedicated servers and related services from the hosting provider at a discounted rate, and take margins on top. One major difference here is that the reseller deals with the customer from start to finish, providing support and related service information themselves. The end customer does not know of the hosting provider at the top level, just the reseller they are dealing with. The discounted rates from the original service provider often rely on official agreements in place that require a certain number of orders per month from the reseller.

Reseller programs are professional relationships and as such are drawn up for individual cases. If you are interested in reselling for a service provider in this way, you will need to contact the host and discuss your own unique terms etc. Proposals are then drafted, and when both parties are happy the relationship can begin. Netwise Hosting have a fantastic network of resellers who sell our products under their own brand and buy from us at impressive discounted rates. Contact us today if you would like to become an official reseller.

 

For a summary of Netwise Hosting’s affiliate and reseller programs, visit the Reseller information page here. We would love to work with you in the future!

It should also be noted that reselling is not limited to dedicated servers. Colocation services can be sold in much the same way, however the process is far more complex and the building-up of experience in the dedicated server market is recommended before making the leap to colocation.

 

Colocation is perhaps the highest rung of all hosted environments in terms of both importance and financial outlay. Finding the right colocator is a must, as the solid provision of such services can be pivotal to a companys success. So what should you be looking for in a colocation service provider? This short article will summarise some of the key factors our clients consider most important in their service, so that those new to ‘colo’ can benefit from the experience presented here.

Know Your Host

Reputation says a lot about a business in any field. Look at who your shortlist of potential colocators already provide services for, and whether they have any recommendations. This does not mean the biggest hosting companys are the best. Trying to enter a data centre alongside businesses like Google and Facebook may be the wrong move, unless you are of a similar standing. Smaller, more bespoke providers are often better suited to clients not looking to take out private suites housing many thousands of servers. If a company on your shortlist provides colocation services for leading businesses like your own, and have a company mantra/image you can relate to, they are often the best choice.

Technology

The technologies in use at each facility will vary – something to keep in mind. Look for IPv6 support for future proofing your connectivity, competitive provisioning of top-level core services/utilities, and green initiatives in line with current Government policies. Keeping your outsourced IT services green is a positive step towards reducing your own businesses overall carbon footprint. Reliable, brand name hardware is also something to bear in mind when considering longevity and consistent performance.

Buy from People, not Businesses

Meet with your shortlist and get to know the people at the helm of each companys operations. Its always best to buy from people, and not to rest all hopes on buying from a brand you think you know. A personable, well-meaning team who show a real interest in you will take good care of your account for years to come. Building solid, long-lasting business relationships is good practice with all suppliers, and that includes your data centre provider!

Location Location Location

Location location location sits at the heart of every property consideration – and a data centre ostensibly follows the same set of rules. Where you are located will not only affect the level of core services feeding your deployment, but will also say a lot about your business should its location be made known. If you are in the UK, or even Europe, London is the place to be housing your data. This does throw up a number of issues in itself – namely cost and accessibility – however smaller, more ’boutique’ providers are now offering services in the London area; Netwise Hosting included! You are always better off arranging a London locality over a countryside data centre miles from the nearest major trading hub.

 

Naturally, deciding upon a colocation provider is a sizable decision with many hundreds of unique factors to consider; but hopefully those described above offer a good starting point from which to develop your own points of interest. If you need help in understanding colocation in more detail, or to see how Netwise Hosting successfully fulfil all of the above requirements do contact us for more information.