You can also choose to go with a VPS (Virtual Private Server) setup as
well.  This is very similar to a co-location, except that you do not own
the equipment.  You do however have control over almost everything on
the server and still get the benefits of a co-lo as already mentioned.
www.viaVerio.com is a great VPS provider I have used for 4 years now.


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hwg-business(at)hwg.org [mailto:owner-hwg-business(at)hwg.org] On
Behalf Of Kevin A. Jackson
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2002 12:07 PM
To: hwg-business(at)hwg.org
Subject: Re: Co-Location or In-House servers?

At 11:29 AM 10/10/02 -0400, you wrote:
>In your experience, what is more cost effective in the long run,
renting a dedicated server from a company such as RackShack.net or
buying your own equipment and connections? Your advice is appreciated.
>
>Regards,
>
>-Awais Bokhari
>www.Cititech.net 
--

Unless there were very specific reasons for locating it in your own
office, the arguments for co-locations are the strongest. Some of the
reasons:

- higher bandwidth (they tend to have DS-3 and higher connections)
- redundant connections (more than one)
- better network configuration - if they are professionals at it, not
inexperienced, then they tend to know their stuff and setup things most
effectively.
- 24/7 monitoring - if it's in your office you are the one who has to
get up in the middle of the night :).
- rapid response to outages - see point above.
- better software setup and system Admin.: similar to network config.
issue above.
- scalability - if you suddenly turn into the next eBay, most
co-location facilities you should be thinking about will be able to help
you scale up rapidly.
- etc. etc.  :).

Cheers


Kevin Jackson

--
Biz-Zone Internet Group Inc.
Web developers, publishers and consultants,
Non-profit Associations a specialty.
http://www.biz-zone.com/ - Mailto:kevin(at)biz-zone.com
Phone: (905)640-8441 - Fax: (905)640-0934

HTML: hwg-business mailing list archives, maintained by Webmasters @ IWA