How to Build a Cheap Dedicated Server Business

Dedicated Servers on a Baker’s Rack?

One of our customers had a chance to look at another dedicated server provider in Michigan.  Honestly, it was the price that took them there.

The website was nice, the offering was well explained, and the price was competitive.  What they didn’t see on the website was the actual dedicated server and where it was housed.

So they scheduled a tour to see the details.  To their surprise, it wasn’t as advertised.  The dedicated server was housed in a data center that was less than ideal. Here are some of the interesting things they found:

• No man-trap on the entrance – front door opens straight into the data center (not that there are blowing snow storms in Michigan)
• Homemade servers – built in the back room from parts they order as cheap as possible
• Servers stacked on bakers racks instead of 40U racks.

Another interesting lesson learned in buying dedicated servers – you get what you pay for.

We may be particular in the high-end deployment we do for dedicated servers, but it’s all part of the high availability solutions our customers demand:

• Brand name (Dell) dedicated servers
• Highly secure data centers with 24×7 security and dual authenticated man-traps.
• High availability dual home run power and network to each dedicated server.
• Real racks (not the kind you find at Panera)