Database HOSTING

Server Type

There are three main server types to choose from: Hybrid, Cloud, and Dedicated Servers. Each server type has unique performance and application considerations, so it’s an important first step in choosing the right server for your database project.

Hybrid Servers are ideal for smaller databases that have a stable amount of data and concurrent connections. Hybrid Servers are a type of Virtual Private Server that features fewer tenants per host compared to traditional VPS hosting. Hybrid Server resources are dedicated to your virtual machine, but these resources cannot be increased without migrating to a new server, so it’s a better option for databases that won’t significantly grow over time.

Cloud Servers are a great option for a rapidly expanding database as they can be instantly scaled for more resources. Cloud Servers spread system resources across dozens of servers, so they are always online and come with a 100% uptime guarantee. Rapidly growing database projects that demand complete uptime and redundancy will be right at home on a Cloud Server.

Does your database require a significant amount of processing power? Does it need to be completely isolated from other users for compliance reasons? If so, a Dedicated Server may be the right choice for you. Dedicated Servers provide the complete system resources of the server to your database. This means you don’t have to worry about other users impacting performance on the server.

Processor Requirements

The processing power required by your database is largely dependant on the size of the database, the number of concurrent users accessing it, and the types of operations being performed on the database.

Start by researching the processor recommendations for the database server you will be running. For instance, an online search for “SQL Server 2016 processor requirements” will yield significant research on the topic to help you make an informed decision.

Intel Xeon E3 and E5 processors are known for their exceptional database performance, so they are both a good starting point for many projects.

For projects requiring more significant power, most projects benefit from a multiple-server setup such as two or three single Intel Xeon E5-1660v4 servers. The performance of servers with a lower amount of processor cores with higher clock speeds tends to outperform higher core servers, with the added redundancy of the database being hosted on multiple servers. This is also beneficial for SQL Server which is charged on a per-core basis.

Hard Drive Type

There are three main types of hard drives available for servers: Hard Disk Drives, Solid State Drives, and NVMe drives.

Solid State Drives and NVMe drives both offer increased performance and Input/output operations per second (IOPS) when compared to traditional hard disk drives. This makes them the ideal choice for database hosting, especially for databases that need queries performed as quickly as possible.

Network Route and Uptime

Most database applications demand pristine connectivity so that users are the world can access the database at optimal speeds and at all times.

Look for a database host that offers a 100% network uptime guarantee and data centers located near your core user group. These data centers should utilize premium network providers to ensure your database is always instantly accessible.

The best server providers will give you a variety of options when it comes to network speed and bandwidth. They should offer a range of connection speeds from 1Gbps all the way up to 10Gbps so you are prepared if you ever need to quickly transfer data to and from your database.

Network Speed and Bandwidth

The network speed and bandwidth of a storage server is critical due to the amount of data that may be transferred to the server. It is important to choose a bandwidth plan suitable for the amount of monthly data you need.

1Gbps network ports are one of the best options for storage hosting as it ensures that any client connecting to the server can download data at an exceptionally fast rate. For clients with larger network requirements, some enterprise-grade providers may offer 10Gbps network ports as well.

DDoS Protection

An important step in delivering database uptime is maintaining robust DDoS protection. This is especially important for e-commerce and other publicly accessible database applications.

Every server on the internet is vulnerable to a Distributed Denial of Service attack. Server botnets target a server in order to take it offline, often for a ransom. This could take your site offline for hours, or even days, costing you thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

Adding DDoS protection to your database hosting services provides advanced protection against all known DDoS attack types.

When DDos protection is engaged, traffic is continuously filtered through DDoS protection appliances, resulting in no delay in protection when an attack begins. Industry leading DDoS appliances can detect attacks and mitigate them within 0 to 90 seconds.