web hosting

Nine Unique Advantages of Managed Hosting

Managed hosting is one of many types available on today’s web hosting market, geared towards businesses that require more personalized care for their web presence.  As the name suggests, the provider takes on a great deal of the management aspects, freeing the client of grueling responsibilities and thus allowing them to be more productive.  There are numerous advantages that come along with managed hosting and below we have listed the top nine.

1.) Simplified Administration – Managed hosting gives you an additional level of support that stems beyond what the typical hosting service can offer.  This often includes server administration and various other management tasks.

2.) Cost Effective – Though it is more expensive than most types of web hosting, managed hosting can be a very cost effective option due to the fact that it can free up time and help an organization be more productive.

3.) Enhanced Security – In the ideal arrangement, managed hosting provides an added layer of security with features such as critical system updates, disaster recovery, and data backup.  Companies that are truly reliant on their web presence will benefit tremendously from a service that takes the necessary measures to ensure they are protected.

4.) Extensive Monitoring – Managed hosting typically provides an environment that is monitored 24/7.  This often includes monitoring of the hardware, systems and the network itself.  With such extensive monitoring, you can better assure superb performance and availability as any problems will be addressed as soon as they are detected.

5.) High-Performance – The hardware you get from a managed hosting provider usually towers over what is provided in a shared hosting arrangement.  This is because you normally receive high quality dedicated equipment and are not forced to share with other customers.  In the ideal environment, managed hosting can deliver performance that puts its shared counterpart to shame.

6.) Increased Reliability – Many new customers who upgrade to a dedicated server incur a significant amount of downtime because of all the technical challenges.  Managed hosting can help you elude these crucial periods of downtime by putting the technical burdens on the shoulders of trained IT experts.

7.) Guaranteed Resources and Features - While all types of web hosting tend to offer great feature and resource allotments, managed hosting tends to give you significantly more.  For example, you get more disk storage and bandwidth as well as more flexibility with features like programming languages, web applications, and services.

8.) Cost Savings -  Managed hosting can be so advantageous that it eliminates the need for a full-time system administrator.  Since the web hosting company is taking care of the bulk of administration, you can save the money that would normally be needed to pay someone to maintain your systems.

9.) Personalized Support - Because managed hosting is modeled around the concept of dedicated support, this sort of arrangement often makes it much easier to obtain the assistance you need.   Almost all managed hosting services offer 24/7 support, ensuring that you can reach the IT experts when you need them.

Critical Factors to Consider When Evaluating Application Hosting

Application hosting services are increasing in demand as more business come to realize that outsourcing to a qualified managed service provider can greatly enhance the deployment process and reduce costs across the board.  To help you find a service that meets the needs and expectations of your organization, we have listed some of the important factors that must be considered for an application hosting solution.

Storage Requirements

Because storage can be a rather costly proposition, it is best to take a just-in-time approach towards your inventory.  By answering the questions below, you can draw a more accurate picture that might defer costs until they are absolutely vital:

- How much storage do you need now?

- How much storage will you need in the next 3 to 5 years

- How much additional storage will you require each year?

- Will you need to archive data and pull it from the main storage area?  If so, how much and when?

Applications to be Hosted

How many applications do you need to host and what type of applications are they?  Staging, testing, development and deployment are just some of the environments you may need hosted.  In most cases, each environment has different hosting requirements in terms of availability, operational tasks, access and support.  Make sure you assess the use and flow of data within and between these applications to precisely determine the requirements for each one.

Backup and Restore and Disaster Recovery

Before deciding on an application hosting provider, it is critical to define what is to be backed up, when and how often.  When focusing on this area, it is also a good idea to keep disasters in mind and think of what would happen if something bad occurred and the provider’s data center became completely unusable.  This is a place where you need to put a business continuity plan into effect.

SLA Monitoring and Reporting

Key performance indicators come in handy, but only when they detail what is important to your organization.  Make sure you know what levels of availability the service level agreement covers as well as the applications that will be monitored.  If monitoring reports are available, find out how they are to be structured and provided.

Root Access

System root access usually isn’t given to parties outside of the data center staff.  It is also important to know that some application providers will waive their SLAs if they can determine that a non-root access account is the cause of an outage.  Because this can have a major impact on your availability, it is vital that you inquire within the provider about their root access policies before signing the contract.

The Service Contract

When it comes to application hosting, contracts define much more than what products or services will be provided and how much they cost.  They also explain how organizations are to interact with each other.  It is wise that you go over the contract with a fine tooth comb to prevent confusion and enable a framework for dispute resolution and continuous enhancements.