This dedicated server hosting checklist is designed to help you understand what it takes to run a dedicated server. After all, it’s not just about purchasing a box - you need to know how to manage and work with it too. So here’s what it takes, your checklist for running a dedicated server:

• A powerful web hosting platform
• Managed Hosting
• 24/7 technical support - through email is best, so you can document errors and solutions
• State of the art data centers - the more data centers a provider runs, the better chances of redundant uptime for you and your server
• Guaranteed RAM
• Easy upgrades
• Great dedicated hosting deals - amazing coupons to help lower your monthly costs or incentives for staying longer
• Ability to perform website backups

Many webmasters who utilize dedicated server hosting use it for media servers or, more exactly, for streaming video servers. It might be helpful for those of you in the market to run the next YouTube.com to be aware of what you’ll need to accomplish this.

Firstly, you may be wondering what the heck streaming servers or streaming video is! A streaming video server is just a dedicated web server setup to stream videos on demand. Your dedicated server needs to be configured to stream media effectively, by offering a compressed file version that can be easily viewed and listened to by your customers, fans, or regular surfers at the same time that it’s being delivered and processed on the server.

Methods of Streaming Media

You can use a true streaming method, which means your video is almost constantly streamed exactly while it’s being downloaded. Think of YouTube.com for this example. In true media streaming, the dedicated server and streaming video software does all the work, which produces a great end result for the user but which can also be very costly for management! Oftentimes, adding streaming media software to an already existing dedicated server is the most affordable option.

The other option is downloading, which we’re all pretty familiar with. This is far cheaper because the entire video file is downloaded and saved as a temporary file on the computer. However, this method is not suitable for a YouTube.com type dedicated server.

There is a plethora of free streaming media software available on the internet for your perusal and use.

Why Stream Media Live?

If you are running any of the following server types on your dedicated server, your visitors will appreciate live streaming of video or audio for their convenience:

* A YouTube.com clone
* An adult website (make sure you choose an adult web host)
* A video-sharing website
* A podcasting server
* Silverlight media server

What kind of dedicated server do I need?

Go with something BIG because you will need it! I would recommend the following features:

* Dual or Quad Core Xeon Processor
* at least 2 x 1024 MB RAM
* at least 2 x 500 GB SATA Hard Drives
* Raid 4 or 5
* at least 3,000GB bandwidth

Please take a look at our dedicated hosting coupons for the best dedicated server deals you can find, which are sure to knock down the primarily steep price for you!

So you’re looking for cheap dedicated servers, huh? Well, you’ve definitely come to the right place. We like to keep you informed with the best web hosting deals and discounts in the world, especially in the dedicated server hosting hemisphere. So without much ado, here’s a rundown of the top dedicated hosting coupons you can find online.

DSHRAM - 1 month FREE DEDICATED HOSTING plus an extra 1GB RAM. The value of this coupon depends upon what you buy, but could save you hundreds of dollars! Great deal!

DSH - $55 off your total purchase of any 3, 6, 12, or 24 month Dedicated Server plan. This’ll take off up to $18/month! Great savings for a game server, media server, or even Silverlight application

FREE WEB EXPRESSIONS SOFTWARE - No coupon necessary! Just hurry over to Lunarpages Dedicated Server Hosting and sign up for any Windows server and you’ll get a 100% free copy of Microsoft Web Expressions, plus a year’s worth of Total Training to help you get started with ASP and Microsoft

Take advantage of 2 deals at once and combine one of the coupon offers with the Free Web Expressions Software to save over $1100!

You really can’t find better dedicated hosting deals.

You have probably by now read all about Microsoft Silverlight from our blog here. We have even posted a helpful tutorial on Deploying Silverlight applications on your dedicated server, because we know it’s a great technology that will grow to be even greater in the coming months and years.

But you may have some Silverlight Hosting questions, so we’d like to help by addressing some of the most common FAQs we have been asked:

What is Microsoft Silverlight?

To simplify the definition, Silverlight is just streaming media and content technology that can be used similarly to flash media. We wrote another article on Microsoft Silverlight Hosting, which is more comprehensive.

What’s the Cost for Silverlight?

100%, completely free!

What does Silverlight Hosting Support?

Silverlight hosting supports live streaming videos, music, and events, as well as downloading media of the same nature.

Will Silverlight Applications Run on My Web Server?

Most likely. Take a look at what your web host offers; Silverlight is going to work best with Windows Server 2008 but will definitely work with other platforms as well – even Linux!

Are There Tools Available to Assist with Running and Uploading Silverlight Applications?

Currently, Microsoft techs are working on a simple FTP-like uploading tool, but for now you can use Expression Encoder publishing plug-in if you visit the Microsoft download center. In addition to that, Lunarpages Dedicated Server Hosting and other companies are implementing easy ways to support Silverlight.

Which Browsers Support Silverlight Applications?

Literally any browser supported on a Mac OS X or Windows PC will be able to view and work with Silverlight. Microsoft is putting the most energy towards the 3 most popular browsers to assure they run 100% - Internet Explorer, FireFox, and Safari.

Will Both PCs and Macs be Compatible with Silverlight?

Yes! You can run Silverlight on literally any machine and from any browser in the world.

You want to be the next Facebook or MySpace, you had better have a deep pocket.  Now putting aside the fact that you would need a lot of users, social praise and traffic to make this all work - according to one web site resource these are the current stats for Facebook on the hosting side of things:

30,000 databases & 1,800 db servers

1200 dedicated servers

805 caching servers

Now with any dedicated hosting provider out there you could get a good start if nothing else.  Many of the social network clone scripts will run on a VPS or dedicated hosting plan too.  This is just to give you a little insight on what you may be getting yourself into.

What are the costs involved in setting up my Dedicated Server?

This all depends on what you’re ordering. It’s like if you go to Subway and get a sandwich – if you’re just ordering turkey on wheat, you can get it for a base price. If you want turkey on wheat with extra cheese and extra meat, plus a second sub of similar value, there’s going to be an additional cost per extra cheese, extra meat, and for the second sub. It’s the same way for dedicated servers – if you want extra RAM, extra bandwidth, or a second server, charges will vary.

Remember, your dedicated web host should work with you to provide the best server experience possible, as well as the most minimal cost. Ask about dedicated hosting coupons and get a quote on the server before you buy. If you get a better offer elsewhere but would like to use the more expensive service, be upfront and tell them you found a better deal. More than likely, they will work with you.

Okay, but really – how much should I be expected to pay per month or year?

Let’s take a real-life example. You are a web designer and you want to host all your clients on a Linux dedicated server. So far, you have 50-100 clients and don’t expect to grow more than 5 clients per month. Each client requires 1GB of storage space and 1GB bandwidth/month. Your clients prefer cPanel as a control panel, so they (and you) can manage their services for them. Here’s your dedicated server quote:

• Dedicated Hosting Charge Per Month = $99
• Dedicated Hosting Setup Fee (including setup for cPanel) = $160**
• cPanel Control Panel Charge Per Month = $35

TOTAL CHARGES***:    $294.00

** This setup fee can be removed if you choose to pay for 3, 6, 12, or even 24 months upfront.
*** This is only the first month’s charge, so don’t let it scare you! Next month, you wouldn’t have to worry about setup fees, which means your monthly charge will only be $134.

How can I get the best discounts available on purchasing my first server?

1) Call the dedicated web host – ask for the best discount for your situation
2) Go with our recommendation for LPDedicated.com and use coupon code DSHRAM for 1 Free Month + 1 Free GB RAM or use coupon code DSH for $55 off
3) Go with a longer billing cycle – if you’re not paying month-to-month or if you commit to 12 or 24 months upfront, you can save quite a bit in the long haul

When purchasing a dedicated server, you are going to ask a lot of questions to your potential dedicated web host. Sometimes, though, you can find answers to the most common pre-sales questions via the dedicated web hosting company’s website, and this can help you make your decision or at least narrow down the options. Remember that dedicated hosting is different than shared web hosting in many ways, one of which includes the fact that dedicated servers can have customized setups. So even if the answer on their website is “no”, you should still ask, as most dedicated hosts will likely work with you if you are going to purchase with them or will help you find a way around your hosting dilemma.

And now for some helpful Dedicated Server Hosting FAQs and pre-sales answers!

How many websites can I host on my Dedicated Server?

The best dedicated web hosts will say “unlimited website hosting” is okay! This is because it is YOUR server! You own and control almost all aspects of it, except maintenance and storage.

Can I resell space on my Dedicated Server?

If your web host says anything but “yes”, you’re in trouble! Qualified dedicated server hosting providers will allow you to resell your dedicated server space to clients, friends, family, and even strangers. For example, if you wanted to run a “free web hosting” site, where you give thousands of customers small websites to host for free, you can do this easily by purchasing a dedicated server.

I don’t like the control panels offered – can I install my own or just work through SSH?

Yes and yes! Some web hosting providers will install control panels for you at a nominal charge, while all of them will allow you to install yourself or just use SSH/shell commands to cut down on costs or for simplicity.

How long does it take to get my Dedicated Server setup?

No longer than 24-48 hours, unless you have asked for something that is more difficult to setup. If you want your account setup ASAP, we always recommend calling the dedicated hosting provider so they can verify your information immediately for a faster setup.

Using cron jobs on your dedicated server can help you backup your server, send emails, delete files, or run scripts. In the long run, this can save you precious manpower and even money, as you don’t have to pay a technician, system admin, or other employee to do these things on a scheduled basis for you.

To get started using cron jobs, you need to know a bit more about how to use them.

Start by typing “contab -e” to begin editing your cron file. A couple other really useful commands include “crontab-l” for a list or “crontab -r” to delete a previously-created cron job.

Looking at your list of cron jobs, they should look like this:

1 2 3 4 5 /bin/YourStuff etc

Each of the numbers above represent specific schedule times that you can incorporate to produce tasks on a monthly, daily, hourly, etc., basis. They are as follows:

1: Stands for minutes, so if you want a cron job to run every 5 minutes, you would start that sequence above with “5”. Works with numeric values from 0-59.

2: Stands for hours, so as above, if you want it to run every 2 hours, you would include a “2” in the above sequence. Works with numbers 0-23.

3: Stands for days, so if you want to run a cron job in dedicated web hosting every 6 days, you would input a “6” where applicable. Works with numbers 0-31.

4: Stands for the month, where 0=January and 12=December.

5: Stands for the actual day of the week, where 0=Monday and 7=Sunday.

Keep in mind, you can also edit these cron jobs to apply to various other formats. For example, you could set up a cron job to run 1-4/2 or every third week with */3. You can also define executions via the Shell and specify where you want the results emailed as below:

SHELL=/bin/whatever
MAILTO=youremail@yourdomain.com

Over the past week I have looked at many different control panels. Some offered less, and some offered more. Which one will be the best? That has yet to be seen. By the end of this article though, you will at least know my Web hosting opinion on the matter. Today we will finalize this control panel round up with Hosting Accelerator, InsPanel, CWIPanel and my final thoughts on control panels in general.

Hosting Accelerator

Hosting Accelerator is another Windows Web hosting server control panel. The end user features are very standard, and lacks of any shock and awe you might have seen with other clients out there. The interface on this control panel though is way too busy. It looks as if they through organization out the proverbial window. Seeing how much stuff you can shove in front of may face is not a good way to make a first impression. For a geek, this might be nice. For somebody new to Web hosting though, this is frightening. Take Hosting Accelerator for a test drive and see what you think!

InsPanel

Yet another Windows only Web hosting server control panel, InsPanel hopes to offer a new look at the idea. There are many features to be listed, but none of them stick out at me like a sore thumb. The control panel is well organized, with everything in it’s place. An average product, but remember there is nothing wrong with that! Take InsPanel for a test drive and see what you think!

CWIPanel

CWIPanel has a message on their front page saying that you can “unleash the power of your Windows server!” Now can you really? Let us have a look. The list of features look much like the other Windows only control panels. However they did not have a control panel demo for me to look at, so there really is not much else to be said. From what I’ve seen though they look to be about average as it goes for Windows server management.

Hands down, I believe that cPanel is the best control panel out there today still. I have used cPanel many times for my own Web sites and have never had a problem yet. For Windows hosting, I would pick Helm as my favorite out there today.

Without control panels we would still be doing all these things with Linux commands, paper clips and chewing gum. As the operating system made life with a computer easier, the control panel makes life with a Web hosting account a more pleasant experience.

There are many factors that play into purchasing a Web hosting account, but Web hosting company is only as good as the control panel behind it. By looking at these eleven examples, you should be able to judge which ones might offer you the best results. If you have any arguments, comments, questions or suggestions just let me know and I’ll be more than happy to do a follow up article with what you have had to say.

As with any other detail inside of your company or business you need to be sure that you add your hosting costs to your overall budget when it comes to your dedicated server needs.  Now you might set aside enough for rent, office supplies and even those rolling chairs with both upper and lower back support - but how much have you set back for hosting needs?

When a business comes to me and asks how much you should set aside for your dedicated hosting budget, it should be enough to cover your average costs of rental, licences and more (the bundled price the web host you work with gives you) and then divide it by two and add that amount to you “set back” or “rainy day” supply.  This way just in case you have to upgrade this feature, or add more of this, that or the other you won’t be left throwing your hands up at the dedicated hosting provider saying you don’t have the cash available to upgrade if needed.

Now some might say planning on being that successful before you get started might be a ‘bit silly.  To them I say it is always better to be safe rather than sorry.