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TheAllusionist · 10-29-2006, 04:30 AM

Hello all, I am looking for some advice and don't know if I really need a dedicated server or if there are companies that offer servers with limited accounts per server and high CPU usage.

I am not an IT professional, so pardon my ignorance. I have a site that is growing fast, I get more than 2.5 million hits a month and growing with around 40GB of bandwidth used and run a CMS front end/main site and forums. I am starting to get timeouts due to 20% CPU usage and don't know if I am outgrowing my current plan using shared hosting, I am not using more bandwidth, etc. than what the plan calls for, just CPU usage seems to be getting used up. The site has a lot of graphics since it is CG related.

I just created an advertising plan, but currently the site has been for fun, and I don't want to spend a fortune on the site unilt it is at a point where it pays for itself. My real question is at what point is a dedicated server really necessary? I don't want to start a thread on what company is best, I just want some knowledgable advise on whether I should be looking into a dedicated server or if it seems like I shouldn't be running into this problem. I use Blue host and think there technical support is good, but I don't know if I have outgrown a shared plan.

In addition do most companies offer tranfering of site, I had to do it all my self and had to edit thousands of image files manually and remove permission numbers after them that the previous hosting comapnie's backup utility created. I don't have time for that. There is nothing worse than a site that takes forever to load and locks up, so I don't want to handicap my sites growth with poor performance. I am only using around 250 megs, this will grow, but I don't need huge amounts of space, just a reliable host and performance and limited down time. Please explain what I should be looking for keeping in mind that the site is growing tremendously right now, around 10 new members a day. Thank you for your help in advance, it is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Russell Thomas

Mxhub · 10-29-2006, 10:35 PM

Hi Russell,

From what i see, your site is growing pretty fast and a dedicated server will definitely push your site forward for more audiences. I don't like to see "wait for something to happen", before we decide on what to do. It is good that you plan ahead. I would recommend to have your site on a dedicated server. If you do not know how to manage a server, you can get some security companies to help maintain the server for a small monthly fee. Some companies do include management in their dedicated server package.

TheAllusionist · 10-30-2006, 01:21 AM

Joseph,
Thanks for the input, I really don't know what the average activity is for most sites and when they need to move to a dedicated server, I didn't want to overeact. At this point I have have arranged to move to a new and more powerful server with less clients on the machine for the remainder of my subscription. depending on how that goes, when it expires I will probably look into a dedicated server. I appreciate the response.

Best regards,

Russell Thomas

vannya · 11-02-2006, 10:47 AM

Having a dedicated server is very convenient thing. Having it you may control everything on your server. But one must be well experienced in it. Though you may pay some fee to the company and it manages your server.

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vannya · 11-15-2006, 10:41 AM

By the way what's your budget?

theheavenly · 11-16-2006, 04:58 AM

Its better to go with dedicated server as you are having good site traffic. It may affect your site hits if you wont move to dedi from your current plan. As you said that you are having lot of graphics, it would also be one of the factors for your change of plan to dedciated.
So it is appreciatable to be dealt with dedi for further.