How to Choose a Linux Dedicated Server Provider

What really matters in selecting the right Linux dedicated server provider is having access to the root level, being able to select a Linux distribution, billing model used to calculate the costs related to bandwidth usage, and whether out-of-band management is available. This guide will discuss all of them because they make a big difference in how it feels to run a server compared to a mere specification.

What should I actually compare when choosing a Linux dedicated server provider?

Access to the root level, ability to select the Linux distribution, model used for calculating costs related to bandwidth usage, and availability of out-of-band management.

We publish our own network and uptime numbers rather than a marketing figure: a 99.99% uptime SLA and up to 100Gbps of network capacity, measured continuously.

Running a server means gaining "full control over the server, including the choice of operating system, hardware configuration, and software" as stated in the Wikipedia article on dedicated hosting. The following paragraphs will explain how this kind of control manifests in practice.

Do I get to choose which Linux distribution runs on the server?

In most cases, yes. Any mainstream distribution is included into the price for free. Only a paid distribution (e.g. Red Hat Enterprise Linux) incurs a monthly license cost.

According to the aforementioned Wikipedia article, all open-source distributions are "often included at no charge to the customer," but Red Hat Enterprise Linux distribution specifically is offered "on a monthly fee basis."

What does "unmetered bandwidth" actually mean, and does it cost extra?

Having unmetered bandwidth means your bandwidth is not limited by the maximum amount you can use within a month. Even so, the cost of having such a connection is usually not lower than of having a metered connection, as providers often charge extra for this feature.

Moreover, the billing model has also changed across the industry — according to the aforementioned article, it was moved "from a per megabit usage model to a per gigabyte usage model" and now "unmetered bandwidth services usually incur an additional charge."

What is 95th percentile billing, and why do some providers use it?

95th percentile billing means that the bandwidth is calculated in such a way that the peak 5% of your traffic usage during a month is completely ignored. It allows avoiding the situation when one burst of traffic significantly increases your monthly expenses.

It is a widely-used billing model in the dedicated server world – it is mentioned in the Wikipedia article saying that "line speed is billed on the 95th percentile."

Why does out-of-band management matter for a remote Linux server?

If something goes wrong with your server, out-of-band management allows you to connect to the server console in order to fix the problem without using the regular network. Otherwise, you have to file a request to the support service.

It is mentioned as one of the core server management services as it is designed exactly for situations when regular network is not an option.

Our Bare Metal servers and VPS plans offer you the root access and choice of the Linux distribution from the very beginning, so the criteria discussed above are worth checking against whatever else you're evaluating alongside them.