Finding the right server for your business’ website is vitally important. Your server will facilitate your website, allowing your potential customers to access your webpages; they’re a very important part of your online presence. However, there are so many different server options and packages available that it can be difficult to know which would be the right choice for your business without spending too much on the service. This is something that we specialise in and our team at catalyst2 can help with.
Breaking Down the Server Options
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The Shared Server
One of the most popular choices for servers, particularly amongst small businesses is the shared server. As you might guess from the name, this means that your business is sharing a server with one or more businesses. The main benefit of this shared server is that it is significantly cheaper than other servers and it has many of the perks that you would expect from a web server.
However, shared servers do have a number of drawbacks and one of which is the amount of space you have. Of course, because you’re sharing the server with other clients, you have less space then you would have with a dedicated server. The space you have determines how many people can visit your website simultaneously before it starts to crash, limiting the capacity of your website. This might be fine for small businesses who are just getting off the ground, but bigger businesses will find the limitations frustrating and detrimental to their long term goals.
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The Dedicated Server
On the other end of the server spectrum is the dedicated server, which, as you might have guessed from the name, offers you the services of an entire server all to yourself. You will have all of the resources of an entire server behind you, with no other businesses slowing you down. This really does become the only option once your business has become a certain size as it is the only server type that will handle the sheer volume of visitors you will have to your website.
However, just because it is the biggest doesn’t mean that it is the best choice for your business right now. Dedicated servers are significantly more expensive than any of the other server options out there, which might not be in your budget right now. There’s nothing wrong with starting with a smaller server package and scaling up as your business grows. Overstretching your finances at the beginning of your business journey is not going to set you up for success.
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The Cloud Server
The cloud server is a more recent development in the web hosting industry and has quickly become the start-up staple. As the name suggests, the cloud server uses cloud storage to help create an easily accessible server package for clients all around the world. The cloud server has become a popular choice for a number of reasons, one of which being that it is easily scalable. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses who are looking to start small and expand as their business grows. It is the flexibility that the cloud server offers that makes it so popular.
The flexibility doesn’t just relate to the amount of storage space that you need. Cloud servers are also easily accessible from anywhere in the world. You can say goodbye to VPNs and portals and access through specific computers because cloud servers can be accessed (with the right security passes) from any computer anywhere in the world. Wherever your business might take you, a cloud server can take your website, data and access with you.
Typically, cloud servers aren’t an appropriate choice for larger businesses with millions of visitors every day. You can always move your package from a cloud server to a shared or dedicated server as your needs change. The flexibility of our service is what has made catalyst2 stand out from the crowd and we know that we can offer you the ideal solution for your business.
What to Consider when Choosing a Server
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Consider your Needs
The most important thing that you need to consider when choosing a server for your online presence is what your business needs. If you’re a small business, just starting out with your business, then you’ll want to save money where possible. Of course, the line between smart financial decisions and skimping to the point of damaging your experience is very fine; all of our servers offer a high quality service that you can rely on.
We might suggest a cloud server, as it’s flexible and scalable, something that you’ll be grateful for when you’re looking to get your business up and running. If you know that you have a large customer base already or if you have a thriving website that you’re planning to transfer to another server, then you’ll want a server that will handle the volume of visitors that you’re expecting. This will heavily influence your choice of server, and you might want to consider a shared or dedicated server rather than a cloud server.
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Consider your Security
All of our servers are protected with exceptional security features designed to keep you as safe as possible. But, due to the nature of the different types of server, some are inherently more secure than others. Cloud servers, for example, are more vulnerable than a dedicated server because of its nature as an easily accessible server. This doesn’t mean that your data will not be safe with our cloud servers, our service is as secure and protected as possible, but the dedicated server will offer more protection.
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Consider you Budget
This might be one of the most influential considerations that you can have when choosing a server. A dedicated server is the leading choice for any website however, it is more expensive than the other servers that we’ve discussed. Many businesses just don’t have the budget for a dedicated server and pushing your finances to afford something that your business doesn’t actually need will only put yourself in danger.
Speak to Our Experts
Even after you’ve considered all of these things, the answer might not be particularly clear. If this is the case for you, then we would recommend speaking to one of our professional team at catalyst2. We would be happy to help you find the right server for your needs, giving you more detail about each of the servers available and offering advice based on your needs. All of our advice is completely impartial and focused on your needs.
If you’d like some advice or more information about our servers, then feel free to contact our team today by giving us a call on 0800 107 7979.
