Managed dedicated hosting is an IT service model where a customer leases dedicated hardware from a managed hosting services provider. This solution includes servers, storage, and networking hardware. Because you aren’t sharing these resources with anyone else, it’s referred to as a single-tenant solution.
When you choose managed dedicated hosting, you get to choose your operating system while your service provider handles the administration, management, and support of your solution. And because you’re not sharing any of these resources with another tenant, you have access to the full performance capabilities of the hardware you’re leasing.
What is Managed Hosting?
Managed hosting is a model where a service provider handles the management, setup, administration, and overall support of a server. When you choose a managed hosting service, the hosting company makes sure your sites and applications are running all the time – and they fix things that go wrong along the way.
How Managed Hosting Works
A managed hosting service is a system combining support and technology.
To establish a hosting deal, you don’t need to own a physical server. You don’t rent it from the hosting company — you get space within the colocation site or data center. However, you are the owner who’s in control of all software and hardware settings.
The hosting company has a professional team of experts you communicate with — and they help you quickly react, upgrade, or downgrade certain features. In other words, they will take care of all the technical stuff so you can focus on creating the content and running your business.
Managed Hosting Features
The main aspect that makes managed hosting different from other dedicated hosting options are management services they provide.
Managed hosting companies are in charge of software and hardware setup and configuration, together with monitoring, updates, technical support, and maintaining the system. Managed hosting solutions can mostly be customized to meet the specific requirements of your business.
However, they cover general features like:
- Technical support for dealing with problems : Managed hosting companies employ system administrators, technical staff, and network operations engineers specialized in a wide variety of technologies. They invest in their employees to stay up-to-date with the latest tech solutions which results in long-term customer satisfaction and better service for your business.
- Security services : Security standards are crucial for both big and small websites. A managed hosting provider covers services such as intrusion detection, virus and spam protection, vulnerability scans, physical security (safeguarding data centers), etc.
- Disaster recovery and (automatic and manual) backups : You need to make sure your data is saved even if your site goes down due to unexpected disruptions. A good company makes sure your data is saved by providing you automatic or manual backups, together with disaster recovery procedures.
- Automatically managed updates : They allow customers to keep their programs updated without checking and installing the newest updates manually. The software should check for available updates, and install them without your intervention.
Pros and Cons of Managed Hosting
Pros
- Time saver : When someone is taking care of maintenance and managing, you can spend more time focused on your business
- Reduced risk : Hosting support is important. You get highly specialized technical support that’s always available and ready to help when issues arise.
- Flexible up-to-date technology : A professionally managed hosting service keeps up with the latest technology and updates so you make the most out of your business and don’t lag behind.
- Excellent performance and high speed : Regular shared hosting is made for basic site needs. It can also implement software and plenty of unnecessary modules that will slow down your site. Managed hosting solutions, on the other hand, provide only features you need for running your site and special plugins used there. This significantly speeds up the site and boosts website performance.
Cons
- Price : Managed hosting services will cost you more than a shared hosting option. Keep in mind that with shared hosting, you don’t get the same level of support — just the basics.
- No access to own servers : One of the disadvantages of a managed hosting service is that companies don’t allow their clients access to the control panel — since they manage your site for you.
- No email hosting : If you want a plan with the option of hosting both your site and emails, a managed hosting solution alone won’t be enough.
What to Look for When Choosing a Managed Hosting Provider
Before signing on with a hosting company, be sure to check:
- If the communication is professional : Even the best products can fail if they’re not supported by a professional team that will help you out with any questions or confusion you may have.
- If the managed hosting company has its own hardware : If not, it means they either resell servers from another company or rent it. The first option here is usually more common. This can be a problem because your host won’t have.
- Custom solutions : If you need some extra features or want to customize the setup, you’ll have to search for those somewhere else.
- Spare parts : If the hardware goes down, they’ll need a whole new server, which means your website will be offline until they migrate it which may last for hours or days.
- On-site support team : With no data centers, the company will use a third-party host to provide the support team — which can be lower quality and less efficient for finding solutions to your problems.
- If the company is experienced with aspects crucial for your business : You want a host that will be able to deal with the specific niche you’re targeting and all the specific needs of your business. Ask about all the things you want to know. Specify your goals. Talk about applications, the CMS, and frameworks to make sure you’re collaborating with a team that knows what they’re doing.
FAQs – Managed Hosting
1. What is meant by managed hosting?
Answer : Managed hosting is an IT provisioning model in which a service provider leases dedicated servers and associated hardware to a single customer and manages those systems on the customer’s behalf.
2. Why use managed hosting?
Answer : In the simplest terms, Managed Hosting means the hosting provider takes care of all your server related issues. You not only rent the hardware from the host, but you also pay them for managing it. It’s similar to getting a full warranty with free oil changes and maintenance when buying a new car.
Conclusion
Managed hosting services are recommended for your e-commerce shop. While unmanaged hosting was a popular solution in the past, day to day, managed hosting services are providing individual solutions easily and comfortably.
By outsourcing your hosting to a reliable hosting provider, you are making the right choice.
Managed hosting ensures you get the latest technology combined with the professional support of highly specialized experts.
Having such a powerful hosting solution working for you in the background enables you to concentrate on your main business like never before.
