How to Determine Whether to Purchase a Dedicated Server...
Dedicated servers are advantageous only for websites with enough traffic to justify the costs. Purchasing a dedicated server can either be an investment or a waste of money. Following these steps, you can determine if you need to purchase a dedicated server, or pass on it.
1
Take a look at your traffic. You'll probably be aware if you are in need of more bandwidth, but if you want ocular proof, take a look at your site statistics. Chances are if you are ready for a dedicated server, you've been maxing out your bandwidth limit or receiving notices from your host.
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Step 2
Evaluate how much memory you'll need. If you find yourself needing to delete files in order to upload new content, or you are currently hosting a large amount of content remotely, a dedicated server might be an advantageous investment.
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Step 3
Consider the languages and software you use. If you want to begin using customized content management systems or branch out to languages that your host does not allow, a dedicated server will allow you to do that.
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Step 4
Think about your security needs. If you are running a business, selling products and taking credit card information from customers, the improved security of a dedicated server will be appealing to both you and the customers.
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Step 5
Calculate the revenue that your site makes. Most shared hosting sites are financed by advertisements, but if you are turning a profit on your services alone, you can afford to remove some of the advertisements that come along with shared hosting services.
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Step 6
Balance professionalism with budget. There's no contest--an ad-free, dedicated server comes across as far more professional. However, it is much costlier and more complicated to manage. If you can afford it and you want to take your website to the next level, purchase a dedicated server...
