Web hosts have been offering dedicated server hosting for a while, but customers are realising that these can be technically very complex to operate, and employing a member of staff to deal with it is a costly business. Therefore many customers of web hosts are asking for managed hosting. Hosts offering this service may provide:

- Managed security

- Managed storage

- Managed load balance

- Managed databases

- Reporting and monitoring

Most sites don’t require dedicated hosting, but if you have a high-traffic site requiring a steady service, you will need dedicated hosting, and if you do not possess the technical knowledge to manage the server yourself, managed hosting could be a wise choice.

Finding a managed hosting package shouldn’t be too difficult: you can try hosting directories and search engines, or ask hosts offering dedicated servers if they can provide managed hosting for an additional fee. Some hosts offer item-specific managed hosting, so that you can select exactly the features you want; this might be your best bet if you think you will only need one or two services. Others will have a selection of packages, which may be more cost-effective if you feel you need most or all of them.

When selecting a host, make sure you check for knowledgeable and rapid customer support. Send an email first and see how quickly you get a response; this can be a good indicator of a host’s level of customer service.

Make sure you have lots of choice and that you can easily change your package if you need to. Also, it is wise to choose a host who will let you pay monthly, rather than quarterly or yearly – you may decide to change package or host and do not want to be lumbered with a long obligation period.

A fast and reliable connection is very important, as downtime and slow service can frustrate customers and lower your search engine rankings. Information about this may be available on the host’s website, but don’t hesitate to ask them for details and clarification. Ideally, choose a host whose Network Operations Centre (NOC) is in the US, which has the fastest and most reliable internet connection in the world.

Finally, make sure you find a competitive price. Managed hosting is becoming more affordable as its popularity grows. Shop around.

Author: Natalie Catchpole

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