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The internet world is full of terms and concepts that may seem abstract and complicated. One such term is managed hosting. In fact, understanding the importance and benefits of managed hosting is crucial for anyone with a website, especially those using Content Management Systems (CMS) such as WordPress, WooCommerce, Prestashop, Magento, Drupal and Joomla.
What is Managed Hosting?
Managed hosting is a service that goes beyond simply providing space on a server for your website. It includes a package of additional services aimed at facilitating the management, security and efficiency of your website. These services may include server configuration, maintenance and monitoring, application support, advanced security services, load balancing, backup and disaster recovery.
Managed hosting or managed hosting is an IT provisioning model where a service provider rents out Dedicated Servers and hardware associated with a single customer and operates those systems on behalf of the customer.
In managed hosting, customers can rent a complete hosting service which, in addition to the classic hosting plan, also involves initial management during the analysis of the requirements, choice of hardware and software, migration of the site, of the related files and databases, the subsequent performance optimization through software configuration on the server side and application side, as well as a continuous monitoring and continuous management of backup and disaster recovery procedures in order to guarantee an uptime close to 100% and in any case the best possible performance and performance.
Unlike standard hosting in which the customer buys and pays for a classic hosting plan and must autonomously transfer the site and take care of all those operations reserved for system engineers, with the serious danger of making even serious mistakes, in a managed hosting system the provider takes care of practically everything except the development of the site and part of the contents.
Who is managed hosting suitable for?
Managed hosting, despite the higher costs justified by the quality of the service and continuous human intervention, which regularly monitors system graphs, traffic, server security, patches and backup integrity, represents in the medium and long term term the ideal choice for those forward-thinking businesses that prefer to focus on their core competencies rather than get lost behind technical complexities of dubious effectiveness.
For example, an online newspaper that wishes to manage all the innovative aspects of a website and focus exclusively on editorial production, without having to worry about cache, performance, database tuning, backup and disaster recovery, will find in a managed hosting service the optimal solution.
Managed Hosting Skills and Responsibilities
Management services are a key aspect of what differentiates managed hosting from other dedicated hosting services. Generally, managed hosting providers are responsible for hardware and software setup and configuration, technical support, patch management, system maintenance, monitoring, and updates. Managed hosting providers, however, may offer a menu of additional services and / or packages ranging from offering basic services to more expensive packages of more advanced services. In most cases, managed hosting services can be customized to meet a customer's specific business requirements.
Among the services that customers can expect from managed hosting providers include:
- Backup and Disaster Recovery: A managed hosting service offers the security of periodic backups of your data, crucial for preventing the loss of information in the event of technical problems or security attacks. If your site were to be compromised, the managed hosting provider is able to restore your data and put the site back online in a short time, thus minimizing downtime.
- Load balancing: This term refers to the ability to distribute network traffic evenly across various servers to avoid overloading. This feature is essential for high-traffic websites, to ensure smooth use even during peak access.
- Security Services: In a world where cyber attacks are increasingly frequent and sophisticated, having a high level of security is essential. Managed hosting providers offer advanced security services, including periodic vulnerability scans, intrusion detection and prevention, and distributed denial of service (DoS) mitigation. These services aim to identify and neutralize threats before they can harm your site.
- Physical security measures to safeguard data centers: In addition to cyber security, it is important to ensure the physical security of data centers. Managed hosting providers often employ stringent physical security measures, such as controlled access, video surveillance, fire and flood detection, to protect servers from environmental hazards.
- Server configuration, maintenance and monitoring: Managing a server requires technical skills and time. With managed hosting, the provider takes care of these tasks, making sure that the server is configured correctly, kept up-to-date and monitored constantly to prevent performance or security problems.
- Application support: Managed hosting providers are experts not only in server management, but also in specific CMS such as WordPress, WooCommerce, Prestashop, Magento, Drupal and Joomla. This means they can provide expert support for installing, configuring and troubleshooting these platforms.
- Technical troubleshooting support: Finally, a significant benefit of managed hosting is the availability of an expert team for troubleshooting technical issues. If your site has a problem, you are not alone: you can count on professionals ready to help you solve it in a timely manner.
Managed hosting plans are often accompanied by an SLA service level agreement, which outlines the services the customer is paying for and the service standards that the hosting provider is required to meet.
The Economic Value and Efficiency of Managed Hosting
In the world of hosting, more power does not necessarily equal better performance. Take, for example, the case of a client with a high-traffic site that uses an unmanaged dedicated server. This customer may have a powerful and expensive hardware infrastructure, which apparently offers high performance. However, in many cases, migrating to a managed server with less powerful hardware, but optimized through a sophisticated software stack, can actually lead to significant performance improvements and significant cost savings.
We have observed numerous cases where customers, by migrating to a managed server, have reduced their monthly expenses from 2000 to 300 euros, while simultaneously increasing the speed of their website. This improvement is made possible thanks to the software optimization, customized configuration and proactive system management that a managed service can offer. In addition to these technical optimizations, customers benefit from additional high-value services, such as 24-hour support for critical issues, continuous monitoring, automatic security updates and regular backups, thus providing greater peace of mind and allowing you to focus more on own core business.
Outsourcing and savings on personnel.
For medium to large companies, internal server management can represent a significant burden in terms of human and financial resources. To ensure 24-hour service, a company may need to hire the equivalent of three full-time IT experts, a cost that can be significantly reduced by outsourcing to a managed hosting provider.
In managed management, much of the work consists of continuously monitoring systems and responding promptly in the event of critical problems or major disasters. This type of management allows you to delegate complex and time-consuming tasks to a team of experts from the hosting provider, who can offer proactive management and timely resolution of problems. Furthermore, by relying on a managed hosting service, a company can benefit from advanced technological solutions, automatic security updates, regular backups and constant technical support. All this contributes not only to guaranteeing superior operational efficiency, but also to significantly reducing internal personnel expenses, thus allowing the company to allocate its resources towards strategic areas with greater impact for the business.
Make the Most of Your Hosting
If you have an ambitious web project and are considering the idea of switching to a managed hosting service, we invite you to carefully explore the opportunities that this model can offer. Not only could you save money and resources, but you could also significantly improve your website's performance. A managed hosting service allows you to benefit from professional and always available technical support, ensuring that your site is always optimized and secure.
Relying on managed hosting may seem like a higher investment initially, but the long-term benefits can far outweigh the initial investment. With managed hosting, you won't have to worry about dealing with security updates, regular backups or sudden technical issues, as a team of experts will take care of all this for you. This allows you to fully concentrate on the development and growth of your web project, knowing that your site's infrastructure is in safe and competent hands. Furthermore, increased operational efficiency and optimized website performance can lead to a better user experience and, consequently, greater success of your online project.
