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Unlike a not many years ago, there are now a few hosting companies that are offering cheap dedicated hosting. But is choosing on cost only the appropriate thing to do?

Even if all servers were equal the answer would still be a categorical ‘NO’!

There are plenty of other factors to consider, and price is just one factor out of several. When choosing cheap dedicated hosting you should also mull over other factors, for example does the hardware meet your requirements both now and over the next few years? What about software? Does it come preconfigured with the software that you need? Can you set up the software that you require to run your business? It’s no use getting a cheap dedicated server just to find it is running Linux when you require Windows.

What about support for your server? You should be able to remotely log on and set up software, but what you need assistance doing so? Will there be anybody there to assist you? How much will it cost?

With a dedicated server you are by and large on your own when it comes to the management of the server. After all, thats the whole purpose isn’t it? You are getting a dedicated server so that you can get the benefits of having a whole box to yourself, without outside interference from somebody else.

You could perhaps go for a managed server, where you pay a premium for the hosting company to handle the technical matters for you, and for many this is the better option, providing the benefits of having your own server, and removing many of the technical difficulties that prevent people going for this in the first instance.

Should you rent or buy your server? You can acquire your own hardware and have it installed in the hosts server room, or you could just rent a server from them directly. There are pros and cons with each one of these and they are something that you need to take into account when sizing up your choices.

If you decide to rent a server from the hosting company then you can normally benefit from a service level agreement that guarantees your uptime and provides you a refund or some sort of reimbursement if that uptime agreement is not kept.

If you own your own hardware then you will ordinarily be able to make changes to the specification and improve the hardware, such as adding more memory, as your needs dictate. And because you own the hardware you will be able to do this at as low a cost as you like. It’s under your power.

What about the location of the server?

If you are looking for the cheapest prices in quality cheap dedicated hosting then at some point you are going to have to think about hosting with an overseas company. This is definitely a good way to lower your outlay, but there are several things to watch out for. Make sure that the company you are considering hasn’t just sprung up. If you are willing to be trusting them with your business then make sure that they have a good track record and aren’t just a fly-by-night operation. What about their network connections? Most hosting companies are happy to boast about who provides their connectivity, the speed and size of pipe that connect them to the internet backbone, as well as who they are peering with. Make sure that your overseas company does the same thing, and if you can, check that they actually do have what they claim to have. You don’t want to find out that their connection is little better than dial-up speeds, or they can’t handle the volume of traffic, after you have made the move to them!

So price is vital, but it isn’t everything. Make certain that the hardware and software meets your needs, that the support is there if you need it, and that the speed and bandwidth are satisfactory for your needs now and for the coming years – then get all of that at the best price you can. That’s the secret to getting cheap dedicated hosting that you will be pleased with