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When you need to manage a server, it is understandable that you may feel tempted to try to do it yourself, perhaps using control panels such as Plesk or cPanel. However, managing a server is a complex task and requires specialized technical skills. Simplified control panels like Plesk or cPanel can be useful for some basic management tasks, but they cannot replace the expertise of a professional system administrator.
Using Plesk or cPanel for managing a server may seem like a convenient solution as they provide a simple web interface to perform some basic server management tasks. However, these control panels do not offer the flexibility and options needed to properly tune the system for performance. They also don't offer the ability to monitor some vital server parameters, such as memory usage, storage pressure, or incoming and outgoing connection statistics.
It is important to note that even if a server with Plesk or cPanel can work well for months or even years, a hardware or software problem could still occur that compromises the boot of the server or access to the panel itself. In these situations, it will still be necessary to call a professional systems engineer to fix the problem, at a much higher cost than ordinary management and with no guarantee that the data can be recovered in the event of a data loss.
Furthermore, managing a server also comes with concerns such as data security, server availability, backup management, and timely problem resolution. Relying on the management of a professional system administrator can guarantee greater peace of mind and security in server management, because these professionals have the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that the server is always stable, secure and performing.
Un managed server (literally translated managed server) is a hosting solution in which a company or individual entrusts the management of their dedicated server, VPS or Cloud instance to an external provider who takes care of all the maintenance, updating and monitoring activities necessary for ensure the proper functioning of the server. In this way, the server owner can concentrate on his core business, without having to worry about server management issues.
In contrast, a self-managed (i.e. unmanaged) server is a solution where the server owner is responsible for managing and monitoring their own server. This means that the server owner has to take care of all maintenance, updating and monitoring activities, which can require a significant amount of time and technical skills.
Professional management by professional systems engineers.
The importance of management by a professional system administrator is essential to ensure the stability and security of the server. A professional systems analyst has the knowledge and skills to identify and resolve any problems, while an inexperienced person may not be able to do so, which can lead to downtime and financial loss for the business.
The figure of the computer systems analyst is a professional who deals with the management, maintenance and monitoring of computer systems within a company or organization. This figure is responsible for the design, installation, configuration and management of IT systems, as well as communication networks and data security.
Backup and disaster recovery
Another important task delegated in a managed server is backup and disaster recovery management. Managed server providers ensure that your data is always protected through regular backup copies and recovery procedures in case of an accident, avoiding possible irreparable data loss caused by hardware or software problems.
Backups are a crucial aspect of server management, allowing you to restore data in the event of an accident or hardware or software failure. Having the right backup strategy can mean the difference between irreparable data loss and complete information recovery.
One of the best ways to manage your backups is to use incremental backups, which create copies of your data only for changes since the last full backup. This allows for significant space savings compared to full backups, since only the changes are archived. Furthermore, it is essential that the backups have a data retention of at least 60 days, in order to be able to proceed with the recovery of a sufficiently secure period of time, which guarantees the possibility of recovering the data even in the event of remote problems.
Additionally, another important backup strategy is to make copies of data in remote physical datacenters. This helps ensure data security in the event of natural disasters or problems in the primary data center. In this way, data can be restored to a secondary datacenter, ensuring continuity of service.
Proactive problem management
Proactive problem management in systems engineering is the use of monitoring and analysis tools to identify and resolve problems before they become critical. This type of management is based on the idea that it is more efficient to prevent problems than to have to solve them once they have occurred.
Proactive problem management helps you identify and resolve any server stability, security, or performance issues in a timely manner, before they cause disruption to service and financial loss to your business. It also allows you to schedule routine maintenance and server upgrades without disrupting business operations.
The tools used for proactive problem management are usually monitoring software, such as Uptime Kuma e netdata, which allow you to constantly analyze server performance, identify any problems and resolve them in a timely manner.
Availability and assistance H24
The availability and availability of the system administrator are key factors in guaranteeing the stability and security of a server. A professional system administrator must always be available to answer calls and resolve any problems, even in the event of an emergency.
For this reason, it is important to have a 24-hour presence of a professional system administrator, who guarantees timely assistance on blocking problems. In fact, a server failure can cause service disruption and financial loss for the business. A systems engineer available 24/XNUMX can intervene quickly to solve the problem and restore service as soon as possible, minimizing damage to the company.
Furthermore, the presence of a 24-hour system administrator also allows you to carry out scheduled interventions, such as ordinary maintenance and server updates, without interfering with company activities.
For this and many other reasons, it is increasingly important for a company to choose a managed server provider that offers 24/XNUMX support, for greater peace of mind, and the possibility of timely resolution of problems, preventing greater damage.
Finally, system management is also very cheap, with a cost range that goes from 50 to 100 euros per month, compared to the cost of internal personnel for server management. This way you can reduce business costs without compromising server stability and security.
In conclusion
In conclusion, managing a server requires specialized skills and in-depth knowledge of information technology. System management by specialized technical figures, such as computer systems engineers, is always preferable to amateur and improvised management. Professional management ensures greater stability, security and server performance, as well as a greater ability to resolve problems in a timely manner. Furthermore, a well-managed server ensures the availability and reliability of online information, avoiding service interruptions and security problems.
At Managed Server Srl we guarantee 24/15 system management with XNUMX-minute intervention times on blocking problems at the best market price. With us, your business is always in good hands.