Explaining Managed Web Hosting

A web presence can become very involved once a company's hosting requirements progress beyond simply needing a dedicated server. Managed servers are, therefore, geared toward organizations that do not have the time or capital to invest in server administration.

Think of a managed server as a glorified dedicated server armed with extended features and support. A managed server will come equipped with the features expected from a dedicated provider, including choice of OS, routing equipment, network connectivity, and complete administrative control. However, instead of leaving most of the administrative tasks to the customer, a managed provider will typically handle the administration. Many companies will often assign you a dedicated service representative who will cater to you and a handful of other accounts.

This support also comes in the form of proprietary control panel technology that enables the inexperienced administrator to easily setup and maintain sites on a server. This is achieved through an intuitive and user-friendly point-and-click method rather than the typing of complicated commands at a prompt line.

Many hosting companies offer a supplementary suite of features and services that are related to managed hosting, including application and database management, high-availability services, and load balancing.

Reputable Web hosting firms will offer managed Web hosting services, and will back up their services with performance guarantees and Service Level Agreements.

Unmanaged services, on the other hand, give the customer complete remote server administration capability and freedom. The downside to this is that unmanaged servers require a large amount of time and technical expertise, because the customer is ultimately responsible for the installation and management of the server, not the Web host. For this reason, unmanaged servers are recommended only for individuals and companies with extensive server administration resources or expertise, as well as a significant amount of time available to maintain the server.

If you are unsure about which service to choose, give serious consideration to choosing a managed server. While taking the managed route is more expensive, it is also much more reassuring for the inexperienced administrator. Remember, you can always downgrade your account to an unmanaged service later, once you've acquired some expertise in server administration. However, once you opt for the personal attention you receive through a managed host, you might think twice when the time comes to change.