<img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1388" alt="dedicated-servers-data-center" src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dedicated-servers-data-center.jpg" width="168" height="118" />As the cost of hardware and bandwidth continues to decline dedicated servers are becoming more cost effective for businesses.  At ITX Design we provide fully managed <a title="Dedicated Servers" href="https://itxdesign.com/dedicated-servers/">dedicated servers</a> that can meet the budget of most small to mid-size companies.

What to Look for In a Dedicated Host
As a webmaster, your search for a dedicated server host will be prompted by the fast growth of your website and the need for greater bandwidth to accommodate the increased traffic to your website.  Nice work.  It's time to move up to the big guns.

This upgrade is a big move and an expensive one, but it also provides features that the cheaper shared hosting options do not have. These include access to a dedicated server, reliability, security, the ability to customize your service, as well as your own processor, memory, HD and bandwidth.

However, when you need a "dedi", as we call them, then you really do need one, there's no way around it, and the cost is far outweighed by the benefits.  (As a side note, some of our readers make want to look into a VPS package or cloud hosting package as well, you'll want options.)

Why A Dedicated Server Is The King Of The Castle

<strong>Reliability and Security (Dedicated Server Host Must Haves)</strong>
With the dedicated server your host provides for your business, you have a greater reliability because the resources are not shared with other websites.

Also, the risk of virus attacks is reduced to a minimum, since you alone will have access to your server and your data, and the content of your site is solely your responsibility.  Attacks and viruses are all around our site(s), never forget that, it's just the truth.

Having full control of all bandwidth, your application will better serve your customers, and the possibility of downtime for your site with possible revenue loss is much less likely to occur.  This is obviously as huge advantage to the dedicated server.

Customization Options
The host will also give you the option to customize your account as far as your choice of operating system and the hardware you install on your server. Servers are Linux or Windows based and there are many of them available for you to try.  You'll need a license with a Windows server though.

You will find hosts that offer a large amount of space for a lower cost. This may suit smaller budget challenged businesses, which cannot afford to purchase a lot of web space and bandwidth. However, these package offerings may leave more to be desired.

The focus should be on the quality of the package and not exclusively on the quantity of offered features. Your aim should be to seek a host who will give management support such as servicing the hardware, the operating system, technical support and firewall protection (managed hosting).

Your search for a dedicated web host will reveal a number of options on the market, and if you do your due diligence you will find one that gives the quality service and the options you seek at an affordable price for you.

While you may find other good resources on the web, we also provide an assortment of information and reviews on our site for your consideration. Look through our pages here to get more comprehensive information to be able to make an informed decision on your server host.

Check out our top 10 web hosting picks for 2011 and our best dedicated hosting picks as well.

Choosing a Windows Dedicated Server For Your Hosting

What to Look for in Windows Dedicated Hosting
In a dedicated server the hosting packages allocate all the disk space and bandwidth of a specific server to just one customer. This is the exact opposite of what occurs on a shared server where the disk space and bandwidth of a server is shared between several customers.

On a Windows dedicated server hosting can also referred to as Windows dedicated server hosting, combining the two forms. The services provided are formulated to provide the client purchasing it  a specialized server by means of which the business can manage its high end applications that are run on Windows.

The need for a Windows server is felt by developers who create websites using Active Server Pages. Also if you manage a large number of websites, large files and are involved in a great deal of customization of the server, then a dedicated server is called for as you would be able to get the full benefit of having exclusive control of it.

<strong>Dedicated server hosting is costlier than shared hosting, Windows or not.</strong>

Features to Look for in a Dedicated Hosting Package
Operating System options for dedicated servers are either Windows based operating system or a Linux based operating system. You would select the Windows based operating system if your websites are created with Active Server Pages. The host will support all software within its dedicated hosting such as ASP.NET, ASP, SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, Windows SharePoint Server and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server.
Features - the host will usually provide a variety of features for your hosting needs such as personalized support and services. Also included may be web analytics, reseller and reporting programs. With the use of such stats, you will be able to fine tune the business marketing to improve the website's online usability.
Reliability - this is a critical issue for any business as it will depend on the host to maintain 99% or greater server uptime. If the server crashes, then the website will be offline and possible loss of revenue may occur. Also, customers will not be able to access the website and they may lose credibility in your business.
Reputation - You should research by reading published reviews and customer testimonials to determine how customer service friendly, and trustworthy the host you are considering really is, and if the host is a credible provider of dedicated hosting services.
Hosting prices - the lowest price is not the best for you if the host does not provide the fundamental requirements of the website, including bandwidth, disk space and high uptime guarantee.
There are many windows dedicated server hosting options available to you today, but you should do your due diligence to seek out the one that best suit the needs of your business now and in the future.

You will find many excellent reviews and resources online that will assist you in making your decision, and on our website we have made available to you reviews and comprehensive resources that will allow you to make an informed decision on your dedicated hosting choice.