How to Care for and Manage Your Dedicated Server?
Managing a dedicated server is harder than you think; because, in case of faulty handling of such a server, the outcome can be quite disastrous. When things work properly, it is very satisfying and lucrative. One important thing to consider is whether to manage the server in-house or by a web host. When you have a medium-sized or large business and enough manpower, you can deftly manage the server on your own. This is because the staff has the expertise and necessary skills. However, when your staff is engaged in performing other tasks and it is too costly to train them for server management, it is better to sign up for managed services. It may work out cheaper to hire third parties to manage your server.
When you have decided to look after the dedicated server independently, there are some things that you should look into:
– Since you are not sure when the primary network may crash, you need to make sure that the staff does not get locked out.
– This implies that the staff must be able to get access to the server and reboot it if needed from any place at any time. Administrators should not have to be close to the server room to access the server; rather they should be able to connect remotely with devices like the smartphones or laptops.
– Similar to desktops which need recovery CDs, servers to need recovery mechanisms. So, after completing the main configurations, you should be free to tweak and repair corrupt files, remove files which prevent proper booting or reset the root password.
– You need to choose an operating system that you are comfortable working with. Settling for a low-cost OS is not wise if you do not how to run it.
– When servers are connected to the network, data starts to change; so it is important to handle backups without delay. In case you are not experienced in it, it is better to outsource it. You can use user-friendly control panels which make server administration easy. You should also carry out configurations carefully; so, your DNS settings, domain name, and root folder management are crucial.
– Finally, you need to make sure the server is both physically and electronically secure. This means you should not hesitate to spend to make this possible. Both your data and clients need protection at all costs. Hiring experts are recommended when you lack expertise in this matter.
