Dedicated servers - a better choice for web hosting

In 1999, a Forrester Research survey found that for 58 percent of adult Web site customers, download speed was the primary consideration in evaluating a site. In other words, for adult site operators, download speed translates into money. For this reason, it is essential to settle on the right kind of hosting arrangement.
While so-called "free server" packages might seem attractive, they are a poor choice for any business - especially one with high bandwidth requirements. When it comes to download speed, you get what you pay for. The same is true of shared servers, which charge an average of $50 per month. Although shared server companies can offer advice and services that free servers don't possess, they also come with severe bandwidth restrictions.
For the would-be adult site operator, dedicated server is almost always the best way to go. Dedicated hosting means that the relationship between Webmaster and server is one-on-one. All of the available bandwidth belongs to a single client, so there is no risk of bandwidth theft. The amount of storage space, or "rack space," averages four gigabytes. Another bonus is the uptime rate, which is often as high as 99.995 percent - or four minutes of downtime per month.
Dedicated servers tend to be niche-oriented, or specialized. You choose an operating system that fits your needs, and customize it for your site. E-commerce, e-mail interactions and multimedia programs are all at your fingertips. The host provides the tools for administrating the site, and this allows you to devote your time and energy to your business. Dedicated servers should have exactly what you want, and should give you only what you need.
Of course, dedicated servers don't come cheap. Not everyone can afford dedicated hosting, and most newcomers to the industry don't have the luxury of shareholders breaking down their door. The premium dedicated hosting that is designed to manage high-traffic adult Web sites costs approximately $1,200 to $1,500 per month ... a substantial increase from the $50 shared server fee.
But if the price tag seems unreasonable, your business plan may need some revision. Dedicated hosting is expensive, but most industry experts know that it offers a tremendous return on investment. A recent study by IDC revealed that most hosting customers realized a 301 percent ROI when outsourcing rather than maintaining operations in house.
The future of dedicated hosting looks bright. Bandwidth prices are being slashed by 20 to 30 percent as bandwidth and telecommunication companies battle for market share - and for the individual site operator, that's money in the bank.