Managed or unmanaged?
When you order a dedicated server, you can choose between managed and unmanaged servers. There are big differences between them, so you should consider them between choosing a hosting service.
- Managed servers are managed (hence the name) by the hosting company. You will have access to a nice admin panel, where you can set up most basic server configurations (like domains, mailboxes, etc). You don't need to worry about configuring and maintaining your server, because this will be handled by the hosting provider. However, this option is usually more expensive.
- Unmanaged (often called self-managed) servers are managed by you. You are responsible for configuring the server, and maintaining it. You may need to install some software on it, and you will have to configure domains, mailboxes etc on your own. You will also need to keep the system software up-to-date so it is not prone to hacker attacks. This option is only for people who have basic knowledge of Unix administration and are willing to spend some time configuring the server. It is however much less expensive.
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