In the Internet business world, a Web site is only as good as the server it’s hosted on. Many high-profile businesses with technologically complex Web sites use ‘virtual servers’ only to find that they are cost effective, but fail to meet the needs of space, bandwidth, and customer access via hits.

A Dedicated Server allows for faster access to a given Web site, provides greater flexibility in building your Web sites, allows users to add applications and databases, as well as provides greater flexibility in remote root access administration. A Dedicated Server also offers more reliability. Since your Web pages are the only sites running on the Dedicated Server system, you won’t have to worry about sharing the bandwidth, disk space, and server resources (processor time, RAM, etc.) with other Web sites.

However, this luxury comes at a price. Dedicated Servers are expensive compared to their virtual “cousins”. Additionally, the user must have a solid working knowledge of the operating system selected and network administration, whether Windows NT, Digital UNIX, LINUX, or Solaris. Some companies, such as Superb Internet, offer affordable dedicated servers with options to add managed support services. Web Hosts that do this provide Web developers with options that lesson the drawbacks of dedicated server hosting.

What is a Dedicated Server?
Just like shared server systems (or virtual servers) similar to those that most Web developers use, the Dedicated Server also shares the large network components such as the T1/T3 Internet connections, routers, and other networking hardware. However, a Dedicated Server is a physical machine tied into the Internet used by only one customer. The customer controls the entire system, including the upgrades (which can range from extra RAM to more hard drive space). The customer controls the system via programs such as PC Anywhere, FTP Daemon, or Telnet. The Web Host provider provides various levels of maintenance for the Dedicated Server hardware and software components, as well as the physical data center space needed to keep the system.

How will a Dedicated Server fit into your needs?
In general, users matching any of the below criteria can benefit from having their own Dedicated Server:
Users that need more than 1 gigabyte of data transfer per day
Users that need more than 250 megabytes of storage
Users that need multiple IP addresses
Users installing or running applications requiring root access to the server
Users specializing in virtual hosting
Users who want more autonomy in their Web services
Users who require more bandwidth

Dedicated Server StrengthsDedicated Servers bring several obvious strengths to the table. Since your Web sites are the only ones located on the server, your Web sites will not have to fight for bandwidth with competing Web sites. On average, a Dedicated Server can have over a million hits a day, whereas your average virtual Web site processes about a tenth of that. Additionally, many Dedicated Server Hosting Providers provide multiple IP addresses without any extra costs. This is ideal for those who specialize in virtual hosting.

Another bonus is that you have full use of all the hard drive space on the Dedicated Server. Instead of sharing space with other developers, a Dedicated Server not only lets you use of all drive space located on the server, but you may add or upgrade hard drive space as needed. Dedicated Servers also have the option of adding RAM upgrades as well. Both give the user a healthy boost as far as increasing the scalability and overall performance of their Web site.

Dedicated Server Weaknesses
Along with the obvious strengths, Dedicated Servers have some obvious weaknesses. Not every developer can jump right in with a Dedicated Server. The user must have a solid working knowledge of the server, the chosen operating system, and networking techniques. This can take many years to learn. One option is to hire an experienced and sometimes high priced, network wizard. Dedicated Servers may require much more upkeep and maintenance time by the developer. Many of the chores normally performed by the Web Hosting company may have to be performed by Webmaster. Check your server provider about this before you purchase.

Purchasing a Dedicated Server comes with a high price tag. You are renting/leasing or purchasing a full-time computer for your server needs instead of just buying space and transfer from a standard Web Hosting plan. With a Dedicated Server you are not able to leverage the economies associated with sharing hardware, software, bandwidth, and maintenance costs that are found on a virtual server.

Although a Dedicated Server is more versatile in use than a virtual server and has inherent strengths, the use of a Dedicated Server is specialized. Dedicated Servers should only be used when large amounts of hard drive space will be used, or large quantities of bandwidth are required. There are a few exceptions, such as running intensive applications on the server that require root access, or those who wish their site to have complete autonomy such as high security web sites.

When shopping for a Dedicated Server Host, you should check the hardware the host uses, the strength of the network, the possibility for expansion (hardware upgrades, more servers, addition appliances such as firewalls and load balancers, etc.). As an example of what a Dedicated Server Host should provide, SuperbHosting.net offers quite a few server configurations and appliances with an option for a custom-built system. They also provide managed services if needed and have a 100% uptime guarantee.

In Conclusion
Dedicated Servers are not cheap, but do provide certain benefits for those users whose requirements exceed the capabilities of virtual servers. When weighing the viability of a Dedicated Server, price of the server is one of the main concerns. As with all things, shop around and never forget to check the prices for upgrading the server, the price of the initial setup, and the periodic maintenance costs.

Rackspace Dedicated Server Web Hosting Reviews

Rackspace is one of the premier dedicated server providers. They have fast, courteous support and a wide variety of server configurations. If you are in the amrket for a dedicated server solution lookup Rackspace.

Rackspace Managed Hosting has been in the hosting business since the beginning of 1999. Today Rackspace has grown to be one of the largest managed hosting companies around. Even with this phenominal growth their support is still top notch.

When last we reviewed Rackspace (May of 2005) our Independent Review Panel enjoyed the Fanatical Support, nothing comes close, and the amazing array of different options. no major problems were noted before. Our Independent Review Panel was happy to find out that Rackspace is still as good as ever and reported again no major problems during their reinspection of Rackspace. For Fanatical support go to Rackspace.

Hardware at Rackspace is the highest quality and it comes with an excellent hardware guarantee. If any leased hardware fails and is not replaced within 1 hour, Rackspace will refund the customer 5% of their monthly fee for each additional hour. Along with their strong hardware guarantee, Rackspace maintains superb connectivity and highly-redundant facilities.

Rackspace’s support has been coined Fanatical Support™ and with good reason. Included in this support is online 24/7 email trouble ticket system, 24/7 phone support, Full Administrative/Root Access, and a lot more. Rackspace’s customer support is efficient and courteous.

Rackspace support is exceptional! They offer 24/7 toll free phone support where we talked with real people when most people were in deep REM. They were cheerful and helpful.

Verdict:
Rackspace is one of the premier dedicated server providers. They have fast, courteous support and a wide variety of server configurations. If you are in the amrket for a dedicated server solution lookup Rackspace.

Pros:
Amazing Support • A variety of different options

Cons:
No major problems

Our Review Rating for Rackspace
Review Rating : 94
Individual Score Breakdown
Support (0-20) 19
Reliability (0-20) 20
Features (0-15) 14
Value (0-15) 14
Network (0-15) 14
Industry (0-15) 13

SuperbHosting Dedicated Server Web Hosting Reviews

SuperbHosting has done their homework in putting together excellent feature-rich, price/performance based dedicated servers that will meet most developer’s demands. Their network is about as good as they come, and their parent company, Superb Internet, is well known as one of the better Web Hosts anywhere. We find it hard to find fault in what SuperbServers offers, and we definitely think you should take a look for yourself.

SuperbHosting servers starting at $99 a month, SuperbServers can fit just about any Web developer’s budget. Prices increase as you add features and customization options. You can choose between Linux, Windows and FreeBSD operating systems, and each type of server comes with an excellent selection of options to choose from. They even support CoLocation services.

SuperbServers’ network is very strong and stable. Servers on the network are one hop away from several tier 1 backbones such as Sprint, AT&T, GlobalCrossing, and more. SuperbServers is so sure about the redundancy of their network that they provide a 100% network uptime guarantee on all packets located on their network. And, although they have kept their prices low, the hardware that goes into each server is as reliable as their network.

SuperbServers does support right! Support is handled through 24/7 toll-free phone, 24/7 email, 24/7 trouble ticket, and forums. As with most Dedicated Hosting solutions, there are instances when support costs extra, such as reinstalling the operating system or other software, extensive debugging or custom scripting. However, SuperbServers offers a lot of free support to include network and hardware problems, reboots, initial setup problems, and more. All of it is well within reason for a dedicated server.

Verdict:
SuperbServers has done their homework in putting together excellent feature-rich, price/performance based dedicated servers that will meet most developer’s demands. Their network is about as good as they come, and their parent company, Superb Internet, is well known as one of the better Web Hosts anywhere. We find it hard to find fault in what SuperbServers offers, and we definitely think you should take a look for yourself.

Pros:
Lots of Customization Options • Excellent Network and Hardware • Strong Support

Cons:
No Major Problems Found

Review Rating : 94
Individual Score Breakdown
Support (0-20) 19
Reliability (0-20) 19
Features (0-15) 14
Value (0-15) 14
Network (0-15) 15
Industry (0-15) 13

FastServer Dedicated Server Web Hosting Reviews

FastServers offers inexpensive dedicated and co-located server options with great support. The server packages they offer will satisfy most Web Developer needs. So if you are the market for a quality Dedicated or Co-located Host, check out FastServers.

FastServers hails from Chicago, IL with a secure data center facility based in Cedar Falls, IA. As the name suggests, FastServers.Net provides managed dedicated for both Windows and Linux.

FastServers offers low cost servers using both Windows 2000 and Linux operating systems. FastServers offers a total of 14 server types, seven for Linux and seven for Windows. When our Independent Review Panel reviewed FastServers back in August of 2002, they thought that the amount of options were limited. This time around however, they thought FastServers.net does a fine job of giving the user plenty of choices. Using Dell PowerEdge dedicated servers, FastServers.Net offers such technologies as ELM, Plesk, cPanel, SQL Server 2005, Cold Fusion, and URCHIN.

Support at FastServers ranks with some of the best in the biz. 24/7 live technical support is standard with all hosting solutions. Along with email support, FastServers.Net offers International Toll-Free 24/7 phone support around the world. Phone and email support is speedy and educated.

In order to assist with support FastServers has a unique 5 level management service call DEFCON Management. With 5 levels of support available this allows both the new server owner and seasoned veteran match the perfect service level depending on their needs. Higher levels of DEFCON Management include server updates, 24×7 monitoring and recovery, advanced support, and 2 hour or less responses to tickets.

FastServers now offers 100% Uptime guarantee and 2 hour hardware replacement on Dell PowerEdge Dedicated Servers.

Verdict:
FastServers offers inexpensive dedicated and co-located server options with great support. The server packages they offer will satisfy most Web Developer needs. So if you are the market for a quality Dedicated or Co-located Host, check out FastServers.

Pros:
Inexpensive • 24/7 Live Tech Support • International Toll-Free Numbers • Fast Support • 100% Uptime Guarantee

Cons:
No Major Problems

Review Rating : 93
Individual Score Breakdown
Support (0-20) 19
Reliability (0-20) 19
Features (0-15) 14
Value (0-15) 15
Network (0-15) 14
Industry (0-15) 12

SkyNetWeb Dedicated Server Web Hosting

High quality hardware and excellent support round out SkyNetWeb’s dedicated server offerings. Customization allows SkyNetWeb’s server solutions to accommodate most Web developer’s needs.

A member of the Affinity Family of Web Hosts, SkyNetWeb provides Dedicated and Co-Located hosting. SkyNetWeb was founded in 1999 and hosts more than 1,000 dedicated servers for companies around the world.

SkyNetWeb offers several dedicated servers as well as offering custom solutions. The server customization option comes with a variety of hardware and software options to suit just about any need.

SkyNetWeb’s network is as strong as they come. They spent more than $20 million dollars in its construction. They use Cisco Catalyst series switches, multiple T-1 lines, T-3 provider access to the Internet, as well as multiple Cisco 7500 series routers. As an added bonus, SkyNetWeb’s administrators monitor bandwidth utilizations and are notified if the connection reaches more than 50%.

SkyNetWeb’s support is extensive by anyone’s estimation. Reboots, hardware repairs, network maintenance, network monitoring, ftp server troubleshooting, installing DNS patches, and a lot more are covered for free under their service plan. The SkyNetWeb support team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is accessible via support ticket form as well as toll-free phone.

As time goes by, more and more dedicated hosts are offering more for less. Even with the high quality network and excellent support, our Independent Review Panel thought the prices are just a little steep as are the setup fees.

Verdict:
High quality hardware and excellent support round out SkyNetWeb’s dedicated server offerings. Customization allows SkyNetWeb’s server solutions to accommodate most Web developer’s needs.

Pros:
Highly Customizable Dedicated Solutions • Quality Hardware • 24/7 Toll Free Support

Cons:
Expensive • High Setup Fees

Our Review Rating for Skynetweb
Review Rating : 89
Individual Score Breakdown
Support (0-20) 17
Reliability (0-20) 19
Features (0-15) 14
Value (0-15) 12
Network (0-15) 14
Industry (0-15) 13

MaximumASP Dedicated Server Web Hosting

MaximumASP’s dedicated server plan are much like their VPN, high quality and feature-rich. If you are in the market for dedicated NT solutions with a healthy supply of ASP support check out MaximumASP.

MaximumASP has been at the forefront of the Windows NT based Database Hosting Industry. With the addition of Dedicated Server plans to their already impressive hosting solutions, MaximumASP seeks to show how Active Server Page hosting is done.

When last we reviewed MaximumASP (February of 2005) our Independent Review Panel enjoyed the transfer, hard drive space, their excellent support and amount of features in their plan. When Our Independent revisited MaximumASP they were happy to see the same exceptional support and hardware, and even more features.

Dedicated solutions are offered via Dell Poweredge servers. Coupled with their already strong network, MaximumASP’s hardware is the essence of stability.

MaximumASP’s Dedicated plans are chock full of features. Like their VPN (Virtual Private Network) plans, MaximumASP’s dedicated plans come with a ton of pre-installed ASP components such as VisualASP Component Pack, Compsys InterChart, DynuCOM Component Suite, and more.

For the price, the amount of Web space as well as data transfer is well above the industry standard. As an added value, MaximumASP provides complete OS maintenance to include the installation of Service Pack, Security, and Hot Fix upgrades for free.

Support is handled 24/7 via phone or email. The MaximumASP support team is fast and offers a professional decorum. MaximumASP offers free support for nearly everything involved with the running of your server. However, if there is a hardware failure caused by the user or by a software package the user installs, MaximumASP will charge $150 per hour to get the problem solved. Though expensive, the fee is more of a deterrent for careless usage of dedicated server services and is a rarity.

Verdict:
MaximumASP’s dedicated server plan are much like their VPN, high quality and feature-rich. If you are in the market for dedicated NT solutions with a healthy supply of ASP support check out MaximumASP.

Pros:
Excellent Hardware • Lots of Features • Lots of Web Space • Lots of Monthly Data transfer • 24/7 Phone and Email Support • Operating System Maintenance

Cons:
No Major Problems

Our Review Rating for MaximumASP:
Review Rating : 90
Individual Score Breakdown
Support (0-20) 18
Reliability (0-20) 19
Features (0-15) 15
Value (0-15) 13
Network (0-15) 13
Industry (0-15) 12

ValueWeb Dedicated Server Web Hosting

ValueWeb offers inexpensive dedicated server hosting. They provide a decent variety of server options as well. Their support staff the quick in some areas are slow to fix NT problems and their hourly consultation fees are expensive.

ValueWeb, now hosting over 100,000 Web sites for customers in over 136 countries, has become one of the largest Web hosting companies in the world. They are an excellent all around Web Host company that provides everything you need to build your Web site.

When last we looked at ValueWeb (February of 2005) our Independent Review Panel believed that their NT plans were sub standard and didn’t like the support fees, they thought the plan price was great and the toll free phone support was excellent. Going back to ValueWeb there are many noteable differences, the windows plans have been upgraded considerably and their support has been changed to a monthly fee so you can pick a support plan that will best suit your needs.

They do not seem to support Windows NT/2000 very well. We believe that if they are going to offer NT Web Servers they should provide better support and information. Their Web Servers options are nice. We’d like to see more companies offer low-cost entry level Web Servers. The $124 per month cost is excellent. They offer more power and more features at higher costs of course, but all very reasonable.

Support is handled by 24/7 email ticket support or via toll-free phone support. Although most problem areas are solved quickly, ValueWeb charges extra depending on the support you require.

Verdict:
ValueWeb offers inexpensive dedicated server hosting. They provide a decent variety of server options as well. Their support staff the quick in some areas are slow to fix NT problems and their hourly consultation fees are expensive.

Pros:
Low-Cost • Toll-free phone support

Cons:
Support costs

Our Review Rating for ValueWeb
Review Rating : 87
Individual Score Breakdown
Support (0-20) 14
Reliability (0-20) 17
Features (0-15) 14
Value (0-15) 14
Network (0-15) 14
Industry (0-15) 14

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