Quote:
Originally posted by picindex
Getting a Dedicated Server:
- you don't have to pay for the hardware
- if you are using a real host failed hardware should be replaced in 2 hours.
- upgrades can usually be done in a matter of minutes not hours or days.
- if your host starts to flake you can get another server elsewhere and transfer the sites over and cut them over with minimal downtime.
- plus a ton of other things I'm too tired to list.
Colo a server:
- you own the server
- you have "complete full" control over the hardware
- upgrades and shit can be done cheaper but you got to buy the additional parts, drive down there, and install them rather then just sending an email or picking up the phone.
- real colo facilities (UUNet, Qwest, C&W (Exodus), etc., etc.,) usually never go down and you can get single server space cheaper.
Personally I co-locate my own servers but I have a TON of hardware for my previous hosting business that I have sold. If I did not have the hardware already I would have never done the colo option ? dedicated all the way!
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Everything above is true.
Location can be one problem...
Support can be another... the bulk of webmasters (yes, even the succesful ones!) do not know shit about operating a webserver and frankly don't care to learn.
Also, for the vast majority of webmasters it is simply MUCH cheaper to buy bandwidth thru a hosting company instead of going thru a Tier1 provider. Because a Tier1 provider won't drop ridiculously cheap hosting to Joe Blow's XXX site for 256kbps average throughput.