Dedicated Server FAQ

What is included in a dedicated server hosting package?

A Netservers dedicated server package includes:

  • Your own server located at one of our high quality facilities
  • Internet connectivity to the server via our high speed switched network
  • FireRack firewall protection of the server with web-based control panel
  • A specific data transfer quota (depends on package)
  • 4 fixed IP addresses (more available on request)

Each customer will be allocated their own dedicated VLAN, and their own Virtual Firewall security zone, hence your servers are not only protected from the Internet at large but also from other customers on our network.

Who owns and maintains the Dedicated Server hardware?

Netservers own and maintain the server hardware. This means that in the event of a hardware failure, our staff will be responsible for making any repairs or replacing the server. Please note that certain kinds of hardware failures may result in data loss. In such situations Netservers staff may have to re-install the operating system, restoring the server to its freshly installed state. It is usually the responsibility of the customer to ensure that they have adequate backups of their data and configuration.

Who is responsible for system administration of the Server?

Netservers staff will pre-install the base operating system on the server in its default configuration, assign it an IP address and connect it to the network so that the customer may remotely access it. All further software installation, configuration and administration work is the responsibility of the customer. However, if you would prefer not to administer some or all aspects of your server, Netservers do offer various support services as options on your package. Our highly skilled staff are also available to provide ad-hoc support for an hourly rate.

How should I backup the data on my server?

It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure they have adequate backups of their data and system configuration. It is recommended that you keep backups of your most vital data at your own premises. For large amounts of data, you may wish to subscribe to our optional backup storage service based in London.

Why do you include firewalls as standard when your competitors charge extra?

Netservers are specialists in Internet security, and believe that no Internet site should be without protection. We have developed our own firewall product, the FireRack, specifically designed for Internet hosting environments.

Should I opt for a Windows server, a Linux server or Mac server?

If you specifically require ASP, IIS, MS SQL server or any other Microsoft products then you will want to opt for a Windows server. Otherwise, Linux is a far more reliable, secure and economical solution. Administering a Linux system does require some level of technical expertise.

Can you do custom packages?

Yes, if you have specific requirements that our standard packages do not meet, we would be happy to discuss these requirements with you.

What is a 'RAID' server, and why should I opt for one?

RAID stands for 'Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks'. It is a technique for using multiple hard drives to provide fault tolerance. Normally, we will configure systems with 2 hard drives to use RAID 1 - a technique for exactly duplicating the data on one disk on another disk.