Ravi Kumar
What Is Managed Hosting?
Managed hosting is a solution to many of your server woes, particularly if you are looking to upgrade from a shared platform to a dedicated package without wading into a technically confusing quagmire.
Pros And Cons Of Managed Hosting
Before adopting a new platform it is necessary to conduct an unbiased assessment so that you appreciate the positive traits and potential problems that migration might cause. In the interests of balance and comprehension, here are the main pros and cons of managed hosting.
Here are five of the main benefits of managed hosting, some of which might convince you that this is the best way to go.
Ease of Use
One of the biggest advantages of picking a managed hosting package is that you will not need to worry about the usual complexities of investing in a fresh IT platform because all of the hardware and maintenance concerns will be shouldered by third-party experts, not in-house staff.
This means you can get on with using your hosting solution without any of the usual hiccups, reaping the benefits from day one rather than having to adjust to a steep learning curve and overcome management-related obstacles on a regular basis.
For example, you might normally have to deal with a multitude of different hardware and software vendors in order to create a similarly effective hosting platform under your own steam. With a managed hosting provider at your beck and call, however, all of this can be sorted out in a way that is independent of any direct input from your business.
This is not so much relinquishing control as letting someone else get on with the time-consuming technicalities while your business is able to get unfettered access to the end product.
Resilience
It may be impractical for a business to provide monitoring and maintenance on the same scale as that which is available to managed hosting providers, which is why this type of platform can offer the peace of mind that does not come with in-house alternatives.
Factors such as bandwidth, power and hardware resilience will all be taken care of without your involvement, with guarantees for uptime helping to keep you satisfied that the service will continue to meet your expectations.
Security
Security is often one of the key issues associated with hosting packages of this kind, but with a managed solution you can benefit from constant protection and the most up-to-date security packages on the market.
It is in the interest of the service provider to ensure that comprehensive security is on tap for all business clients, so there is no need to be nervous about handing over critical data and apps to a third party.
Managed Hosting Cost
For smaller businesses and start-ups, it may be tough to find the capital required to invest in a suitably powerful IT infrastructure that facilitates competitive operations; at least, this is the case if you are restricted to using on-site hardware and sourcing your technical talent in house.
In contrast, with managed hosting you can enjoy total flexibility and affordability without having to hire additional team members or keep tabs on expensive hardware. This makes it easier to balance the books and justify allocating funds to make managed hosting a reality.
Potential
Managed hosting is all about giving your business the opportunity to flourish without saddling it with a number of associated burdens that could scupper any promising firms before they reach their full potential.
It can be suitable for companies that are looking to make headway in a local market, as well as those that want to operate on a global level and still be in contention to secure new clients, customers and revenue streams.
If you want a scalable, cost-effective hosting solution that reduces overheads, relieves the need for expensive on-premises hardware and levels the playing field so that established competitors do not have the infrastructural advantage by default, then managed hosting might just be the way to go.
Cons of Managed Hosting
While it may be cost-effective to choose a managed hosting service if your business does not have the in-house technical expertise to get the job done, you will generally find that this type of package will be more expensive than the other hosting options by dint of the features that come with it.
This means that you have to closely analyse just where your savings will be made in order to work out whether or not managed hosting will save you money or end up costing more than is strictly necessary in your specific situation.
Another issue with managed hosting is that you will of course have to relinquish control of many aspects that govern your server. This means your company will not be in charge of things like access monitoring or updates to the hardware and software.
While some may find this deferment of responsibility beneficial, others will want to have the option of server self-determination, which is not something that comes naturally to a managed solution. As such, a standalone dedicated server package without the management addition might be more suitable.
Each business must act according to its best interests and for some, managed hosting will undoubtedly be a perfect fit.
