Whos running a company on a dedicated server as a full time thing? or part-time?

Id like to know what kind of businesses are possible for a nice return. Maybe something I can do on the side.

Well, just managing and administering a dedicated server can be a full time job even if you are not running anything which may provide a return. There are a lot of issues which require constant monitoring and adjustments.

I guess you know that when you launch anything on the web, you are virtually running a place which operates 24/7 and as such is never closed.

Not just the web but any business venture would take a lot of hard work, dedication, determination, capital and know-how to make it work. It takes time to make yourself known and it takes time to get people to part with their money. Some business don't make their first sales even after 6 months on the job while some do. If you are prepared to work and take the risk, it could work out for you.

As to what kind of businesses, well the possibilities are endless. It is always best to work with something you know intimately about. You could survey the market and if you can sense a need which you can honestly fill then that is where you should go.

It all depends on how well you set everything up. Technically it is a 24 hour business however you don't have to be online all of the time. If you have a cell phone with email capabilities and quick access to a computer with internet you will be fine.

computers don't care what time it is and so you have to be ready to have to wake up at 4am to fix something.

When you start to get a lot of clients they like to have prompt answers to their questions. Most of my customers come from refferals so if they are happy they will probably tell more people about my hosting.

I guess it all comes down to how determined you are. If you really want to make some money and have free time it is probably best to hire a small staff or outsource the support for your server. There are many companies that for a reasonable amount of money, around $100/month, will keep an eye on your server 24/7.