How can you find out if your dedicated web host you have you heart set on is going to allow for media streaming?  When you are talking about dedicated hosting, streaming media should be no problem.

There should be no problem with live streaming on dedicated servers. You just need to ensure the hardware in your server meets the needed resources to serve the amount of video clients you expecting.

So if there is a script or program you had your eye on to manage the digital media, be sure to run the requirements by your dedicated hosting provider.  This way you can be sure that all of your media streaming “i’s” are dotted and “t’s” are crossed.

Does a Dedicated Server package have a WAP feature/server?

Just about any dedicated hosting setup will allow WAP. You’ll just need to setup Mime types and DirctoryIndex settings in web server configuration. The following guide mentions settings for both Windows and Linux servers to be setup for WAP:

http://www.developershome.com/wap/wapServerSetup/tutorial.asp?page=setupIntro

This is perfect (WAP that is) for small testing purposes.

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.

By now, you already know that Silverlight is one of the fastest growing media technologies in the world right now. So if you’re planning to get or already own a dedicated server to run as media server hosting, you’ve got to know a thing or two about deploying Microsoft Silverlight applications on your dedicated server. For example, did you know you can run and install Silverlight applications using a Linux or Windows server?

The good news is that deployment of a Silverlight app is incredibly easy, and our friends at Lunarpages Dedicated Server Hosting have provided this amazing and easy-to-follow tutorial for your convenience.

1. Upload Your Silverlight Application

First, you’ll need to upload the actual application folder under the document root of your account. If you’re on a Linux server, remember that file names, folder names, and links are case sensitive, so ensure these are all correct before proceeding.

2. Specify the MIME Mapping

Working with cPanel on a Linux server, you should first click on the MIME Types icon. It looks like this: Then, add a MIME Type application/xaml+xml with extension xaml.

Working with Plesk on a Windows server is just slightly more complicated, though not by much. First, click on the Web Directories shortcut on the Domain Management page and select the MIME Tabs tab. Add New MIME Type and put .xaml as extension, select content as Custom, and write application/xaml+xml in the next edit box, and click OK.

That’s it! In two simple steps, in Windows or Linux, you have effortlessly deployed your new Microsoft Silverlight application! And you probably didn’t even break a sweat. That’s how easy dedicated server hosting can be when you have great tutorials from great web hosting providers like Lunarpages.

If this is your first time purchasing a dedicated server, you are probably already aware that the industry is very competitive. Every dedicated web host wants to provide you with the best services, the best prices, the best features, and the most compelling uptime statistics.

So how do you find the best dedicated web host? Here are 5 tips you should consider when researching and comparing web hosting providers.

1. Compare, Compare, Compare

If you are looking for media server hosting, you are going to require different features than if you are searching for game server hosting. That’s why you should make a list of the most important features you require for your dedicated server and then call a list of web hosting providers you have compiled to compare features.

2. Contact the Dedicated Server Hosting Company

Do not be fooled by their online presence – every potential customer should call the dedicated hosting provider and talk to them to ask questions. If you are going to be putting your money into their services and products, you should know 100% what you are purchasing and that it is exactly what you want. If it’s not, there are other dedicated hosts out there.

Also, email them, use their ticketing system, use a demo if they provide one, and really make sure you are ready and that the service is perfect for your standards.

3. Research their Reputation

Once you’ve narrowed the dedicated web hosts down by features, research the company itself, both on the Better Business Bureau, through online web hosting review sites, by calling them, or via testing customer testimonial websites. There are many companies that have a beautiful website but horrible reputations. That said, also make sure to balance the good with the bad. For example, someone might complain and give a bad review to a company who didn’t register their domain name. If that’s a huge issue to you, it matters, but for most people, it’s not as big of an issue as the reviewer can make it sound.

4. Check Out Their Support

Is it 24/7? For your dedicated server, you should require 24/7 support, whether that be via email, phone, or ticketing. But you also should see dedicated server tutorials, contact information, FAQs, web hosting articles, and even hosting forums.

5. Get the Lowest Priced Dedicated Hosting Deal

You don’t have to pay full price, and no web host should make you do so! Call them up and ask for the best dedicated hosting coupons available. Odds are the hosting company will be happy to provide you with a dedicated hosting quote based solely off your needs.

Going out and advertising your web site or services, no mater what business you are in is a lot easier to do once you have a dedicated web hosting account.  The one thing that we all concern ourselves with when we all of the sudden have a boost of traffic (via StumbleUpon, Digg or other means) is that we have enough bandwidth and server resources to handle the upsurge in traffic. 

Just yesterday on one of my own web sites that I have on a shared hosting account, I had this same fear.  As I watched the visitor numbers go up and up – I was happy to be popular but also, I was concerned with the fact that maybe my web host might crap out on me?  Maybe I am becoming much more of a burden than they need?

With a dedicated hosting account setup you could market your brand out there in every means and way possible without worrying about the side effects or consequences. 

When searching for a reliable dedicated hosting provider, you know already that you can often find great dedicated hosting coupons and discounts if you compare companies and give them a call or get a custom quote like what Lunarpages offers on their website. But we have some amazing web hosting news for you, as the folks at Lunarpages are offering some phenomenal dedicated hosting freebies!

If you are in the market for Dedicated Windows Hosting, look no further than Lunarpages! With any new 12 or 24 month Windows Dedicated purchase, you will receive a FREE copy of Microsoft Web Expression, a WYSIWYG HTML and webpage editor, as well as a year’s worth of Microsoft-related training from Total Trainning! The training sessions alone are valued at over $700, making this free offer from Lunarpages worth over $1,000!

For more information, please visit Lunarpages Dedicated Hosting and view their Special Offer.

Wondering what you get with Lunarpages Windows Dedicated Hosting? Check out these awesome features:

* Windows Server 2008
* Microsoft Frontpage, Silverlight, and ASP/ASP.NET 3.5, IIS7 compatible
* MS SQL standard
* Plesk Control Panel
* Managed Hosting options
* 80-250GB (and more) storage space
* at least 1,000GB (1TB) bandwidth/month
* 24×7 Dedicated Technical Support

You’re thinking of ordering a brand new, shiny dedicated server. You’ve got your domain name, you’ve chosen a reliable dedicated hosting provider like Lunarpages, and you’ve found the best dedicated hosting coupon available. So…now what?

Have you decided what kind of dedicated server you are going to be running? Look over these fun options to find the best solution for your dedicated server hosting plan!

Media Server Hosting

This is becoming a very popular choice for dedicated server hosting, as media websites like YouTube.com or social network sites like MySpace.com utilize media in incredible ways. With media server hosting, you are running a website primarily to serve streaming or live media content to your audience. You can store music and video files to stream on the web using Flash Media, Windows Media, or even Microsoft Silverlight, the hottest technology for media server hosting.

Make sure you choose a dedicated web hosting provider who allows media server hosting and can offer competitive amounts of storage space and data transfer bandwidth. This way, you’ll never have to worry.

Game Server Hosting

Do you like multiplayer games? Need to host your game for players around the world to be able to join in? You can create a whole world and community on your dedicated server by running it as a game server. Depending on the popularity of your game or games, you may need to cluster or join many servers together to create a network of interlocked dedicated servers. These servers provide the massive amounts of bandwidth necessary to have game players from all over the world connecting to your website! Game server hosting is extremely popular and you can make a ton of money through advertising and player upgrades.

Social Network Server Hosting

If you like MySpace or Facebook, you can create a website of your own to match them or even make a better site. Imagine creating something as popular as Myspace…right on your own server!! This means you have control over membership payments, you can deploy advertisements and sell ad space, and you can collect the revenue from partnering with other companies, etc.

Hosting a social networking website means an incredibly heavy load on your web server, so make sure you choose a reliable dedicated hosting provider who can handle the CPU resources, bandwidth, storage space, and even features necessary for these massive web hosting accounts. You should choose a dedicated server hosting company who can allow you to grow as your website does and who won’t limit you to ordering 10 servers if and when you need them.

Other Dedicated Hosting Options

Chat server hosting, forum server hosting, blog web hosting, personal web hosting, and even adult web hosting are all options for your dedicated server. Remember, you can also run your dedicated server as a web or database server as well, so if your aim is just a simple, clean, dedicated server hosting solution for your business or ecommerce website, you can’t go wrong.