Hosting FAQs

Q. Do I need a managed or a dedicated server? What’s the difference and which is right for me?

A. It all depends on how you intend to use it, and what your level of server management expertise is. A Managed server is just that – a server that is managed for you. Senior will take full responsibility for the maintenance, support and upkeep of your server, from the operating system all the way up to the applications that are running. All you need to do is maintain the data in those applications, we do the rest.

A dedicated server is for more advanced users. If you have your own IT staff that are capable of maintaining and supporting a server, they can take on the responsibility of installing and maintaining applications on the server. Senior will look after the operating system and backups – ensuring that they run smoothly and are up to date, but everything else is your responsibility. Of course, if you run into a problem that you can’t solve, we’re happy to help, but such help will be supplied at our standard support rates (see support section later in this document).

The choice really depends on whether you have the resource to administer the server yourself. If you do, you can save some money and go for a dedicated option. If not, Senior will be happy to look after it all for you.

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Q. I don’t know if I need a physical or virtual server – which is right for me?

A. Again, the answer depends on how you intend to use it. In terms of the way the server behaves, and how you interact or access it, there is no difference between physical or virtual servers.

We are able to offer virtual servers to you because of the enormous capabilities of the modern server which often has multiple processors, and multiple cores within those processors. Coupled with large quantities of RAM, this means that the modern server is often vastly overpowered for the task to which it is dedicated, and spends the majority of its time idle. By utilising this capability, we can effectively run several virtual servers on a single physical server and make much fuller use of its resources. Although the virtual servers are not as powerful as the physical server, they are still more than capable of running all but the busiest websites and applications without a problem.

If the website or application you are running is particularly resource intensive, you may be better off with a physical server, and the increase in performance that can be gained from it. Typically SQL and Exchange servers are better off on a physical server due to the resource intensive nature of the tasks they perform.

If you are unsure of the best platform for your application, please contact us, and we will be able to advise you on the best course of action for your needs.

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Q. How do I access my new server?

A. If you have a dedicated server, you have direct console access to the machine, and can configure any further access you like to the machine, though from a security point of view we do recommend that you keep access to the server to an absolute minimum, allowing only the services and ports that you need to be open.

If you have a managed server, you will not have direct console access. Configuration will be done via a control panel interface, and access to applications will be remote via the application or services default port (unless you request access via a non standard port.

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Q. Is it possible to upgrade my server?

A. Yes, depending on the type of server, and the current specification, an upgrade of some sort is usually possible. With a physical server, this will usually require some downtime while the new hardware is fitted and tested. Of course the upgrade of a physical server is dependent on whether the new hardware will fit in the server – if you already have dual processors; you aren’t going to be able to add any more.

With a virtual server, the process is often quicker and easier, often with only a reboot of the server required to provision the new ‘hardware’. Again this is dependent on the existing specification of the machine, but the virtual nature of the machine means you are less restricted.

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Q. When I lease a server from Senior, what am I buying? What technology is my server built on?

A. All of Seniors server and hosting equipment is supplied by world leaders in their field. The server technology is based around the IBM BladeCentre, which allows us to pack a previously unheard of amount of computing power into a comparatively small space.

The individual servers within the BladeCentre are powered by dual and quad core Intel Xeon processors, giving a truly staggering power and processing speed.

Combined with the powerful servers is an IBM Storage Area Network (SAN), allowing for superfast storage backed by advanced RAID redundancy and automated backups. All this means that you’ll struggle to find a quicker and more responsive server anywhere.

The SAN also means that your data is not physically tied to the machine you lease – be it virtual or physical – and in the unlikely event of a fault with your machine, we can simply point one of our spare machines to your data, and you’re up and running again in no time.

Managed backups are provided by IBM TSM. TSM has been involved in data backup and restoration for over 15 years, and has built up an impressive reputation as the de-facto standard for fast, efficient and above all accurate data backup and restoration.

The connectivity to the internet that comes with your server is provided by 4 different tier 1 providers – you can’t get a more direct and resilient connection to the internet than that.

Internet security comes in the form of Check Point firewalls. Check Point are a massive name in the field of internet security – your data couldn’t be more secure.

The Senior network is powered by redundant Cisco switches and routers. Cisco equipment really does power the internet, with an estimated 98% of all internet traffic passing through Cisco equipment at some point in its journey. You can’t argue with statistics like that when it comes to quality and reliability.

The servers themselves are powered by Microsoft Windows Server 2008, the latest generation in the Windows Server family, with advanced resilience and management functionality allowing your server to do more for you.

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Q. What technology does Senior use to power its virtual servers?

A. Seniors virtual servers are powered by Microsoft’s new Hyper-V virtualisation technology. Utilising this new technology means we can fully utilise the power of Windows Server 2008 in a fully supported environment.

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