Anyone who has shopped around the managed dedicated server market and the dedicated server market must have experienced the loose use of the terms on the internet. I was quite sure early on what a managed server was. Conversely there was no question what a dedicated server was. It seemed simple enough back then. Those were the good old days.

Back then my pure simplistic vision was well defined and clear. A dedicated server was one occupied by one site. It was cared for by the company that owned that site. It was hosted by a dedicated server hosting company. A managed dedicated server was occupied by one site. It was cared for by the same company that hosted it, a managed dedicated server hosting company. Oh the simple life!

Then I had the unfortunate experience recently of delving into the actual web sites offering managed hosting services and dedicated hosting services. To be sure what I found could be called nothing short of a melting pot stirred and mixed in every swirling combination feasible.

Some called managed dedicated and some called dedicated managed and then there were the scores and scores in between with every combination you can think of. Ill spare you the confusion of the many examples; suffice it to say things arent as simple as they used to be. One cant go on assumption when analyzing a host. It takes research into each hosts site to find what is actually being offered and what youll pay extra for despite the title given to the product.

Whats the point? Please let us come to the table of reason together! There needs to be a universally agree upon definition of what is a managed dedicated server and what services does it include. What is a dedicated server and what services does it include. Users sophisticated or not Im sure always appreciates clarity.

Above all let me dwell in the crystal clear world of before when a managed dedicated server was just that.

Henry Vowels
Management Co-Ordinator
Managed Hosting by E-Insites