Moving to a dedicated server is the ultimate end of any Links SQL installation.
A shared server is great for serving personal web pages, a guestbook script, or even a small business site with nothing more than a plug in shopping cart.
Once you are running a major application, and require continual cgi access for performance (search.cgi, jump.cgi, etc) you start to use the resources that are "shared" among all the users -- CPU and RAM.
Some shared hosts have enough horse power to let the program run for awhile, but as they start to fill up the servers with other hosts, all the "power" you thought you had is now allocated to other users.
Dedicated boxes are the only way to go in the end.
Dedicated server prices vary widely, but they have to take into account the full cost of the machine, the connections, resources and overhead of the ISP. This is why shared servers are so attractive. You are splitting the cost of a single machine over many people -- but that means you only get a slice of it for your needs.
Dedicated servers fall into two groups. Leased and colocated. With co-location you are paying only for floorspace and the connection. With leased, you are also paying for the server (usually provided by the ISP). Which is better for you is up to you. If you trust your ISP, you can often save with co-location equipment (but you have to feel comfortable that if you want your server back you can get it).
For an idea of what the prices/costs of servers are, check SUN's site, Dell, Compaq and HP. See the cost of the hardware. Realize the ISP's probably get a small discount off the retail prices, but it's not any more than a regular retail shop. If the hardware you want prices out to $3700, that's the cost you have to build into the server's monthly 'lease'. Don't price for 36 months, only 18 to 24. Remember, the machine will be on 24 hours a day, and parts like the disk drives will be taking major activity hits.
Then, once you figure the server cost, you need to figure the bandwidth cost. This is more tricky, but the more you pay (up to a point) the more you are guaranteed to have available when you want it. 1 mbps sustained with 10 mbps burstable is a good starting point. "200 GB/month" is a much less attractive concept, since when is that transfer available?? During the "prime" selling hours, or only between 2am and 6am Eastern time??
Pricing on bandwidth varies greatly, it reflects regional cost differences as well as ISP hardware configuration differences. But, included in the "bandwidth" costs are all the other overheads -- switches, routers, DNS services, support services, electricity, A/C, UPS, back ups, 24-hour NOS & monitoring, service contracts, etc.
Figure about $1,000/month for the 1mbsp/10mbps type of pipe, +/-20% depending.
Once you stray from those numbers, you start taking risks. Some ISP's may have temporarily got extra bandwidth. They can sell it cheap, or _appear_ to provide it to you while it exists. Once they sign up more customers, that bandwidth you were accessing "disappears" and the ISP refers you back to your "200GB/month" contract with no mention of sustained or burstable bandwidth.
Anyway..... Good luck :)
http://www.postcards.com
FAQ: http://www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/
A shared server is great for serving personal web pages, a guestbook script, or even a small business site with nothing more than a plug in shopping cart.
Once you are running a major application, and require continual cgi access for performance (search.cgi, jump.cgi, etc) you start to use the resources that are "shared" among all the users -- CPU and RAM.
Some shared hosts have enough horse power to let the program run for awhile, but as they start to fill up the servers with other hosts, all the "power" you thought you had is now allocated to other users.
Dedicated boxes are the only way to go in the end.
Dedicated server prices vary widely, but they have to take into account the full cost of the machine, the connections, resources and overhead of the ISP. This is why shared servers are so attractive. You are splitting the cost of a single machine over many people -- but that means you only get a slice of it for your needs.
Dedicated servers fall into two groups. Leased and colocated. With co-location you are paying only for floorspace and the connection. With leased, you are also paying for the server (usually provided by the ISP). Which is better for you is up to you. If you trust your ISP, you can often save with co-location equipment (but you have to feel comfortable that if you want your server back you can get it).
For an idea of what the prices/costs of servers are, check SUN's site, Dell, Compaq and HP. See the cost of the hardware. Realize the ISP's probably get a small discount off the retail prices, but it's not any more than a regular retail shop. If the hardware you want prices out to $3700, that's the cost you have to build into the server's monthly 'lease'. Don't price for 36 months, only 18 to 24. Remember, the machine will be on 24 hours a day, and parts like the disk drives will be taking major activity hits.
Then, once you figure the server cost, you need to figure the bandwidth cost. This is more tricky, but the more you pay (up to a point) the more you are guaranteed to have available when you want it. 1 mbps sustained with 10 mbps burstable is a good starting point. "200 GB/month" is a much less attractive concept, since when is that transfer available?? During the "prime" selling hours, or only between 2am and 6am Eastern time??
Pricing on bandwidth varies greatly, it reflects regional cost differences as well as ISP hardware configuration differences. But, included in the "bandwidth" costs are all the other overheads -- switches, routers, DNS services, support services, electricity, A/C, UPS, back ups, 24-hour NOS & monitoring, service contracts, etc.
Figure about $1,000/month for the 1mbsp/10mbps type of pipe, +/-20% depending.
Once you stray from those numbers, you start taking risks. Some ISP's may have temporarily got extra bandwidth. They can sell it cheap, or _appear_ to provide it to you while it exists. Once they sign up more customers, that bandwidth you were accessing "disappears" and the ISP refers you back to your "200GB/month" contract with no mention of sustained or burstable bandwidth.
Anyway..... Good luck :)
http://www.postcards.com
FAQ: http://www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/
