Hi,

I'm realising that if I continue to work and gain customers at my current pace that I'll soon be at the point where a dedicated server is possible... BUT given that is about a year or so away I'd like to find out exactly what getting a dedicated server involves from the horses mouth so's to speak (no I'm not calling you a horse ;) )

Basically do you generally have control of the server?
Are updates, maintenance of kernel, etc... your responsibility.
What are reasonable expectations from a host with a dedicated package on things like security, connectivity, etc...?
Are you able to install new applications e.g. mySQL yourself?

I've tried trawling the posts but the sheer amount of info is somewhat confusing so if someone could point me at the technically correct stuff or provide a concise explanation I'd be most grateful...

Cheers
;)
Martin

PS: If anyone has any suggestions on how to prepare for the leap I'd also appreciate your input as obviously the old boy scout motto applies. :)

Hello,
I would love to help you out from my past experiences.

1) Dedicated Server- you will be "leasing" a server in a NOC for your private use. The NOC may provide updates, software installation but basically, its up to the NOC to do this.

2) Managed Dedicated Server - very pricey, however, NOC does everything for you. Updgrades, account setups, software and hardware troubleshooting is all taken care of.

3) Colocation - you ship your server to a NOC and it is your private server sitting in a Rack, Cabinet or Cage. The NOC provides the bandwidth and you provide everything else. You usually get charged a fee for installation and software updates.

Please not that i use NOC liberally, and it could be Web Hosting Provider in some senses.

Just my two cents.

Thanks for that...

Perhaps I should note that I am NOT looking for recommendations at this point so thanks to those who have posted them to me by PM but that is not the purpose of this thread.
;)

Basically do you generally have control of the server?
generally, yes, at the root level. You're renting it and it's your responsibility

Are updates, maintenance of kernel, etc... your responsibility.
Yes. Some hosts will notify you of updates, security problems, etc, though it is your responsibility to implement them

What are reasonable expectations from a host with a dedicated package on things like security, connectivity, etc...?
Security is your responsibility. This is an important area to keep up with as new vulnerabilities are found quite frequently and the patch often follows shortly thereafter (with some OS). You may be notified by the company, and it is still your responsibility to implement the updates. You can hire it to be done at some companies, probably most.

They are responsible for keeping your server connected to the Internet. You are responsible for most everything else.


Are you able to install new applications e.g. mySQL yourself?
It depends on your abilities. ;) You do have access to install whatever you like although some programs (replacements for those already installed on the server) may not be supported by the technical support department

I've tried trawling the posts but the sheer amount of info is somewhat confusing so if someone could point me at the technically correct stuff or provide a concise explanation I'd be most grateful

PS: If anyone has any suggestions on how to prepare for the leap I'd also appreciate your input as obviously the old boy scout motto applies. :)
I have some information on my site that specifically addresses this matter.