In this digital day and age, many people take to the internet whenever they are in need of a product or a service. For this reason, if you own a business, it is more important than ever before that you have an online presence. You can guarantee that if you don’t have a website which potential customers can visit, you will miss out to your competitors who do. So, it is worthwhile creating a website, no matter what your business may be. 

Of course, when deciding to go ahead and create a website, you will have lots to think about, from your domain name through to the design of the site, and it is important to make sure that every aspect is perfect. One thing that many people who haven’t created a website before are unaware of is that you will require web hosting too. There are lots of different hosting solutions available, so it is worthwhile looking into these further before starting work on your website as this is one of the most important decisions you will have to make. 

A popular type of web hosting these days is managed dedicated hosting and this is a brilliant option for you to consider, ultimately, many would say that this option is better than any other hosting solutions. If you’ve never heard of this before, keep reading today. Below, our team here at catalyst2 have put together a guide to everything you need to know about web hosting and managed dedicated servers. 

What is web hosting?

Simply put, all websites are hosted on something called a server. When a potential customer wants to view your website, they will type the site’s domain name into the address bar on the internet. Their computer will then connect to your website’s server so that your website is visible in the internet browser that they’re using. 

Whilst this may seem quite complicated and hard to get your head around, you don’t really need to know too much about how things actually work behind the scenes, so to speak. You just need to be aware that web hosting is the process of buying/renting space on a server for the website you’re creating. 

What is a hosting server?

Think of the hosting server as the home for your website. Everything that makes up your website, the files, data and information, all need to be stored somewhere safe. Without a hosting server, your website wouldn’t have anywhere to live, so it is absolutely essential that you have a web hosting server when creating a website. 

What is a dedicated hosting server?

Ultimately, having a dedicated hosting server, also commonly referred to as just a dedicated server, you will have your own home for your website. You will have exclusive access to a server which is only available to your website. This is the opposite of shared hosting where you will share a server with lots of other websites. 

What are managed hosting services?

Now you know more about web hosting in general, the name of this service is fairly self-explanatory. Essentially, someone will manage your hosting for you. So, an experienced hosting provider will take care of everything to ensure that your server and website are running smoothly at all times. 

Managed hosting services tend to cover everything required by a website owner, from providing the server and backing up the servicer to securing the server and monitoring the server. It is an all-inclusive service that allows you, as the website owner, to sit back and relax knowing your site is in safe hands. 

Why are managed dedicated hosting servers so popular?

The majority of people who opt for dedicated server hosting will choose to have a managed server, as opposed to an unmanaged server. There are numerous benefits to doing so and below we have highlighted some that you should be aware of;

  • Security is never a worry 

Both using a dedicated server and also opting for a managed hosting service will prevent you from needing to worry about the security of your website. You won’t need to worry about flaws in other peoples’ websites compromising yours and you can trust that if a security issue did arise, your hosting provider will handle this before it impacts you and/or your customers.

  • Constant technical support

Choosing to work alongside a professional hosting provider will mean that if you ever have any queries, they will be able to resolve these for you as quickly as possible. You may even find that they’re able to handle problems with your website developers or software vendors for you too. You don’t need to worry about having a lack of knowledge in this regard, they have you covered.

  • Saves you time and money

As expected, a managed dedicated server is more expensive than an unmanaged shared server, however, it will still save you both time and money. You won’t need to educate yourself about hosting servers or hire an internal team to handle this for you. So, whilst you may be paying slightly more, your expenses will still be less than if you chose a different hosting option.

  • Server and website optimisation 

Technology is continually advancing and having a managed server means you can take advantage of these advancements. The professional team hosting for you can update your server’s software regularly which will, in turn, improve your website’s performance. You can trust they will always configure your server so that it works as well as it possibly can for your website. 

  • Flexibility and scalability

When using a managed service, as your needs change, the service can also change in order to meet these. For example, if your website grows and you begin to receive more traffic, you can trust that the dedicated server will be able to handle this. The flexibility of these services means that you can start small and grow as your online business dictates.

Who can benefit from having a managed dedicated server?

Ultimately, anyone who owns a website can benefit from everything mentioned above and more when choosing a managed dedicated server over any of the other hosting options available to them. It is especially beneficial to those who heavily rely on their website, which is almost all businesses these days. 

Whilst many would naturally assume that this service would be more beneficial to huge businesses, it can also be incredibly helpful to smaller businesses with less experience working with websites. Essentially, if you don’t know how to manage your own server, then it just makes sense to use a managed dedicated server and reap the benefits of doing so. 

What type of websites can use a managed dedicated server?

The vast majority of hosting providers will offer managed dedicated hosting services for almost any type of website. Whether you have a business website, a personal website, an eCommerce website, a forum website or any other type of website, when choosing an experienced hosting provider, they should be able to meet your needs with a dedicated server. 

Who offers managed dedicated hosting services?

You will find that many different web hosting providers offer managed dedicated server hosting services, however, it goes without saying that you need to ensure you choose the best company for the job. You need to be able to trust the company you choose with your website and know that you can rely on them to ensure that it is always running as it should be. 

Choosing an inexperienced hosting provider or someone that is unable to meet your needs can be detrimental. You run the risk of your website frequently being down which will lead to lost business. So, always make sure you research a hosting provider before choosing them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take your time to ensure you’re happy with your choice. 

How catalyst2 can help you with your web hosting

Hopefully, you will now know a little bit more about hosting servers and what managed dedicated hosting is. There is no denying that it is a brilliant hosting option to choose and it is worthwhile considering if you’re creating your own website. If you’re looking for a company that provides hosting services that include managed dedicated servers, please visit the catalyst2 website today. As one of the UK’s most effective and efficient web hosts, you can trust we are the perfect people to contact. 

Our managed dedicated hosting services are exemplary. We pride ourselves on not leaving anything to chance, from redundant hardware to incredibly experienced staff, we can guarantee that you will be more than satisfied with the service you receive when you choose us as your hosting provider. We understand that every website is different, as are the needs of the site owners, and for this reason, we take the time to get to know our clients. Your server will also be assigned to a specific team, so you will always be dealing with the same members of staff who will know your requirements. If you are currently with another provider and you’re unhappy, we will even be able to help you move from your existing server too.

If you would like to explore the other hosting options as well, here at catalyst2, we have a range of other web hosting solutions available with various price plans that may be of interest to you. Whatever your needs and requirements may be, you can trust that we will be able to meet them. No matter which hosting solution you choose, you can also guarantee that we will always provide you with an efficient, friendly and helpful service. Every member of our team is happy to go the extra mile to provide support, information and new solutions to our customers. If you have any questions at all about web hosting or if you need some assistance choosing the best hosting plan for your website, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.