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Think of a managed server as a 'beefed-up' dedicated server armed with extended features and support. A managed server would come with all the features expected of a dedicated server including hardware, software, network connectivity and complete administrative control. Alternatively, servers that are considered to be ‘managed’ often include many typical software and hardware related administrative tasks. This may include connectivity monitoring, software patches and troubleshooting. With some managed providers, they will allocate you a dedicated service provider so communication can be quickly established during times of urgency.
This support also comes in the forms of proprietary control panel technologies 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 by typing complicated commands at a prompt line.
Many hosting companies offer a supplementary suite of features and services that related to managed hosting, including application and database management, high-availability services and load balancing.
Most reputable Web hosting firms will offer managed Web hosting services, and will back up their services with performance guarantees and Service Level Agreements.
Meeting the needs of the Business
Many businesses (especially SOHO's and SME's) are unable to meet the resource requirements required to manage their systems 24X7. In order to be successful, a company whose online presence is an integral part of its business must successfully implement and maintain the following:
- Web Site Hosting
- Remote application monitoring and support
- Database back-up, maintenance, and recovery
- Bandwidth measurement and scaling
- Server hardware and software
- Router(s) and other communication equipment that connects your server to the Internet
- Firewall, and other security hardware and applications
- Racks, cabling, and server-friendly facilities
- Uninterruptible power supply and generator to ensure backup in case of power failure.
The key advantage of using managed providers is the cost saving from using in-house staff and outsourcing these infrastructure needs to a experienced third-party.
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