The Undeniable Advantages of Working with a Managed VPS – a virtual server are often not enough for managers to take this step forward for their business. Whether you are experienced or not, you always face a number of questions:
- How much better and faster will work get done in my company?
- Will my employees cope and how long will it take them to get used to the new change?
- Will my clients notice the change and appreciate it?
- Is security sufficient?
- Am I being misled by false promises?
There is no reason to worry if you are working with the right partner who can provide you with professional consulting and a correct attitude. In this article from our cloud blog, you will find answers to important questions and receive valuable guidance when choosing a reliable provider of server solutions for your business.
1. Where is the virtual server located?
The virtual server uses physical components that are located somewhere. For AbsCloud servers, this place is top-tier data centers – isolated buildings with security, specialized fire and earthquake protection, guaranteed power supply, guaranteed network connectivity, and fast Internet from multiple providers. In data centers, there is always specialized personnel available to ensure the smooth operation of the servers. This guarantees to clients that, even in case of emergencies, their projects will be protected, accessible, and will continue to operate.
Attention!!!
When choosing a company providing VPS for your business, try to find out where their servers are located. You may be surprised to learn that servers of companies with flashy sites and attractive prices may actually be located in a closet, cupboard, or a basement, just to keep them cool.
Useful tip from AbsCloud:
Look for information about the provider’s website accessibility using different online sources or try to test their access speed yourself. Ideally, test from several places, including from abroad if possible.
2. Is the server very old?
Nowadays, technology ages very quickly. New technologies often surpass their predecessors’ parameters manifold, which significantly affects server component performance. A virtual server running on old hardware seriously affects the entire system’s performance and carries the risk of more frequent problems.
Attention!!!
Poor practice, but unfortunately common, is to buy second-hand servers to create virtual machines and offer various cloud services. Try to obtain information about the technical parameters of the server components, such as processor model and generation, memory generation and frequency, IOPS and disk drive speed, and more.
Useful tip from AbsCloud:
Checking the relevance of server components is not an easy task. Helpful tips for checking server components can be read in the next article from our blog.
3. Who will administer the server?
Even if you have a system administrator or qualified IT specialist in your company, you need to know who will administer the virtual server! The system administration of virtual machines at AbsCloud.eu is entirely handled by a personal system administrator from AbsCloud. The specialists at AbsCloud take responsibility for server configuration, managing access, and the resources reserved for it. They also ensure smooth server operation and guarantee uninterrupted workflow. All VPS servers from AbsCloud are included in free monitoring. The server monitoring systems track the operation of the server and alert as needed, such as reaching certain limits, system malfunctions, or unusual activity.
Attention!!!
Check carefully! Some cloud service providers charge extra for services such as monitoring, backup, additional server protection, and even for different support levels. All of the above services are completely free for AbsCloud clients, with no hidden terms and binding contracts.
Useful tip from AbsCloud:
Price is an important factor for every project. Review different offers and calculate the real cost. Make sure you are paying for a VPS, not a shared server, take the base price and add all necessary “extras.” Some of these additions may seem unimportant or a one-time cost, but others are vital. Without them, you risk your entire project.
4. Do I get real support?
Do a test – ask a simple question of the company’s technical support team. If it takes them several hours to give you a competent answer, or you have to go through a series of phone transfers, emails, or ticket systems – any issue with your server can cost you many hours of downtime. If your server goes down and you lose valuable time searching for the right contact to solve your problem – this will inevitably lead to losses for your company.
Useful tip from AbsCloud:
Each AbsCloud client receives direct contact with a personal system administrator – the right person who takes care of your server.
5. Do I get a guarantee?
Thoroughly find out whether your VPS provider gives you a guarantee for the offered services and what it is. Check if they offer compensation and what it is in case of failure to fulfill obligations and promises. All AbsCloud clients receive a written guarantee that the provided server services will work at least 99.9% monthly uptime. We also offer a unique financial guarantee – our clients do not owe a fee for the respective month if uptime is below 99.5%.
Attention!!!
Some providers give uptime guarantee, but on a yearly basis, not monthly. This means your server may be down for a long time (at 99% annual uptime – up to 87 hours!) without the provider being in breach.
6. What happens if I have a problem?
While running servers, various issues can arise – intentional abuses, targeted hacker attacks, hardware failure, etc. Make sure you have a partner who knows when and how to react adequately, so that whatever happens, you can be calm about your projects and company data.
Attention!!!
A common practice is to charge extra for troubleshooting issues that have arisen for clients using not only VPS, but also rented servers or dedicated cloud services.
Useful tip from AbsCloud:
Check in the offer or in the provider’s terms and conditions what is their commitment in case of a problem. Make sure there are clear deadlines and responsible parties for solving server issues and whether this is billed extra. At AbsCloud, we fix problems with the server before they even reach you, and will never charge you extra for that.
7. How and for what will I pay?
Make sure you understand the payment system and are paying for what you have agreed upon. Check if there are any hidden charges that could affect your monthly bill.
Attention!!!
Check if there is a chance you will pay more, be asked for more money, and under what conditions. Find out what circumstances might change your monthly server fee. Some companies offering cloud services and business VPS have separate monthly charges for services like project and site migration, domain transfer, server monitoring, backup, archive storage, server protection, and even for support.
Pay special attention if the price depends on usage! If so, make sure there is a monthly limit. Otherwise, you may end up with a bill several times higher than expected at the end of the month.
Useful tip from AbsCloud:
Clarify in advance what is included in the price. All regulated activities and additional services for server maintenance and administration are completely free for AbsCloud clients. Plan your budget wisely! With a partner like AbsCloud, you always know your monthly cost in advance. There are no hidden terms or binding contracts with us.
8. Are there any bonuses?
Especially for AbsCloud clients, we have created a bonus package of services that every client receives completely free of charge:
• Personal system administrator and expert technical support
• Server uptime guarantee plus additional financial guarantee
• Free migration of your existing sites and projects
• Free domain
• Free SSL certificate
• Free monitoring
• Regular data backups
REQUIRED!
Check in the offer or in the provider’s terms and conditions what is their commitment in case of a problem. Make sure that:
• There are clear deadlines for solving server problems, or even better, there is an Uptime guarantee.
• If they guarantee you server uptime, like we do at AbsCloud 99.99%, make sure it’s always on a monthly basis! If you are given this guarantee annually, even long outages do not constitute non-fulfillment of the provider’s obligations, unless it becomes systematic.
• Check if they offer compensation and what it is in case of failure to fulfill obligations and promises. All AbsCloud clients receive a financial guarantee and do not owe a fee for the respective month if uptime is below 99.5%
If your provider does not want to bear any responsibility in case of a system crash, there may be a reason, and you should seriously consider whether this is the right partner for your business.
Need consultation for your server needs? Contact us right now: Contacts