Managed server vs. root server
If you have the choice between “managed” or “root” server we’re talking about dedicated web servers. Some web hosts offer managed dedicated servers as a special service added to the physical server. Common features for managed servers are:
- customer support
- monitoring of server security
- backup services
- software upgrades
- security-, spam- and virus-protection
The main advantage is that you don’t have to be a system administrator for yourself; you can outsource this activity to your web host. Of course this is connected to higher charges, but on the other side you get a good value for the price.
A root server is managed by yourself; there is no or little support in system administration from your provider. With a root server you have “root” access which means that you can change the entire system.
Managed or unmanaged, that is the question. Well, if you don’t want to get in touch with server technology and system administration the answer is clear: you’d better get a managed dedicated server. If you can handle it you probably might want to save costs with an unmanaged solution.