A good data center is invisible to the end user. The end user only sees the services or transactions that take place. In the past, a data center may have consisted of a large mainframe tucked away in an organization, running software applications specific to some portion of the business. Today, most organizations have a primary data center that serves as the central location for critical computing equipment. Now, remote business sites can easily access the main data center through sophisticated networks linked by routers and switches.

Now when shopping for a dedicated Web hosting server, you might be confused by the "managed" and "unmanaged" idiom. With an unmanaged Web hosting account, you or somebody in your company will need to know how to deal with the server first hand. That is when hiring a system administrator might come in handy. Then they can worry about all the server side problems and configurations.

With a managed dedicated server though, more of those worries are in the hands of the Web host you bought it from. The only problem you might run into there is you want to make sure your Web host has a good quality staff of folks who know what they are doing when they are working on your dedicated server.

So there you have it, those are the big benefits of having your own dedicated Web hosting server. Co-location is more expensive at the onset, and cheaper in the long run. Dedicated servers are more expensive in the long run, but cost less up front.

Benefits of co-location include:

• Cost savings in the range of 20%-70%
• Better utilization of space you are using for an in-house data center
• Freedom to focus on your core competencies and not worry about your IT infrastructure
• Greater flexibility
• more control over web server administration
• Ability to use existing hardware

Physical Advantages: The costs of the following facilities in a computer room are a fraction of what it would cost to set them up in-house. They give you:

• Precision-controlled, air-conditioned environment
• 24x7 power back up systems for all your equipment – no downtime or disruption because of power failure
• State-of-the-art dry-pipe pre-action fire suppression – no critical losses due to fire
• High-level onsite security through surveillance cameras and bio-metrics systems to disallow unauthorized entry
• Option of adding new systems when required and phasing out older systems as they become outdated, at nominal costs

The big advantage of co-location is that you can use your own machine.

Co-location disadvantages include:

Initial cost up front Hardware may become outdated quickly Web Server Administration is your responsibility When considering co-location, it is important to determine your specific needs and compare the cost associated with co-location and other types of web hosting solutions. When evaluating a company, be sure to ask plenty of questions and ask for references.