Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Running a Web Hosting Business : Dedicated server located - Does it matter?

[needtoknow]

Hello,

I am soon going to start my own hosting business and wanted servers in the UK and US so my customers can choose.

After months of negotiations it appears that servers costs are cheaper in the UK. If I only had servers in the UK would this be a problem to my US customers?

Thanks

[xnpu]

There will be an added delay and possibly lower throughput for your US customers. Technically this may be negligible, depending on the application of your clients. (E.g. game servers are much more critical than a simple website with minimal graphics.)

That said, you'll also have to consider what sells better. Most people will choose something that makes sense in their mind, regardless of the technical issues. If their audience is in the US, a UK host is probably not first on their list (if at all).

[needtoknow]

With that in mind do you recommend a good dedicated server provider. I've looked at liquidweb and softlayer but they are nearly double the price for the same spec server in the UK.

Thanks

[GarrisonHost-John]

look at Limestone Networks or Tailor Made Servers.

[SamBarrow]

I'd go with something in the US. A lot of US clients will be turned off by the fact your servers are in the UK, speed difference or not.

[Pushkar P]

Where are you looking? USA is cheaper to host a dedicated server.

The UK is usually a bit more expensive because competitors can basically choose their price, unlike the US where competition is fierce.

[gotlivechat]

Does anyone know, if a server is located in the UK but has US whois information for a domain, if search engines will consider the server to be ranked higher for US SE queries? Or UK SE queries?

[Matt R]

I'm not exactly sure what providers you're using, but our servers here in the US are almost half the cost of that in the UK for the exact same hardware. I've yet to find anyone in the UK to be as willing to work with us on pricing as Softlayer has been.

[needtoknow]

I'm not exactly sure what providers you're using, but our servers here in the US are almost half the cost of that in the UK for the exact same hardware. I've yet to find anyone in the UK to be as willing to work with us on pricing as Softlayer has been.

Thanks for your message. I will be using similar spec to this:

2 x Quad Core Intel® Xeon® E5620 2.40Ghz
24GB ECC DDR3
4 x 600GB Ultra Fast SA-SCSI 15,000RPM
1000 Mbps Uplink
10TB Bandwidth

Redstation (uk) charge $700 (converted from GBP)
Softlayer charge $2244 for the exact same spec!

BIG difference in my eyes. Please tell me if I'm missing something.

[Website themes]

Well I don't see what you've been doing for months if softlayer is all you found in the US. Softlayer is one of the most expensive providers in the US. You should have looked harder.

edit: Dedicated Hosting Offers - Web Hosting Talk

[Matt R]

Originally Posted by Website themes

Softlayer is one of the most expensive providers in the US. You should have looked harder

I'm not sure where you get that information from.

They're definitely not the most expensive provider. They're also one of the best out there.

Yes, their pricing is higher -- and? The quality of the hardware and network behind it justifies the cost.

You can go to Burst or FDC and get a machine, but I guarantee you that it can't stand up to a server of similar quality at Softlayer. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

[Website themes]

Originally Posted by Matt R

I'm not sure where you get that information from.

They're definitely not the most expensive provider. They're also one of the best out there.

Yes, their pricing is higher -- and? The quality of the hardware and network behind it justifies the cost.

You can go to Burst or FDC and get a machine, but I guarantee you that it can't stand up to a server of similar quality at Softlayer. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

I never said they were the most expensive. I said they were one of the most expensive in the US. Next time please read before you post.

[needtoknow]

I have indeed found cheaper in the US. I was simply pointing out that softlayer are not almost half the cost of UK servers.

Thanks

[phpcoder]

To the OP -

The answer is YES, at least in my experience.

I would venture a guess that 50% or more of our pre-sale inquiries confirm that they will be placed on a server in a specific location for purposes of seo, speed, and government regulations to name a few. All factors that still remain important and are often overlooked in such a volatile world until they nip you in the bud!

[turnkeyinternet]

Originally Posted by needtoknow

Hello,

I am soon going to start my own hosting business and wanted servers in the UK and US so my customers can choose.

After months of negotiations it appears that servers costs are cheaper in the UK. If I only had servers in the UK would this be a problem to my US customers?

Thanks

If you can afford it, have them in both locations. Many U.S. customers are looking to have European sites or mirroring. Keep in mind that the UK hosting market is much smaller than the U.S. market so ignoring the U.S. market by not putting servers locally may also cause issues.