Having a popular website is a great thing, especially if that website is related to your business. However, you've probably never thought popularity could cost you money. If you use a shared web service, you're allotted a certain amount of bandwidth every month. Each host has a different way of dealing with the situation if you go over that amount of traffic.

Some servers will suddenly shut your site down, which means your visitors will see only a page telling them you have exceeded your allotment. Others will allow your page to keep running, and will charge you for the extra bandwidth. Extra usage charges could end up costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars if your site gets popular rapidly.

This is why it's vital to keep an eye on your bandwidth usage and the traffic that goes through your site every day. If it begins to look like you'll exceed your bandwidth allotment, it might be time to look into getting a dedicated server. It might be tempting to use one of the shared hosting servers that claims to offer \"unlimited\" bandwidth. However, in the end, you'll probably find that there are limits written into the fine print.

Shared hosts also have a lot more down time than a dedicated server. By upgrading, you'll be increasing the amount of time your site is available to its visitors, and eventually attract even more. Upgrading to a server of your own will improve reliability and performance, as well as giving you total control over your website.

You'll never have to deal with unexplained downtime, bandwidth limits, or restrictions on what scripts you can run. You can also run more sites on one server - as much as a few hundred. However, be sure that you plan for the extra cost. In the end, having a dedicated server will bring in enough traffic to pay for itself, but you could be surprised by the initial cost.

Usually, there's a fee to begin your service and a truly hardworking server will run you about $200 each and every month. If you consider it, it's better to pay a little more a month for reliable service than to pay for low reliability but then being charged bandwidth overage charges.

Find out what you can do with a dedicated server and your shared hosting troubles may be over. You won't have to deal with problems from scripts other users are running, downtime, or extra charges just because you've become popular. If your current provider is one that you are satisfied with, inquire about their options for dedicated servers. On the other hand, if you've had poor customer service experiences and other problems, you might have better luck elsewhere.

If the number of hits to your site is increasing, monitor how much bandwidth is being used by those visiting it. If you fail to closely monitor your site, its popularity could result in expensive charges. A dedicated server will eliminate unexpected fees and extra downtime and you will not have to be concerned with exceeding your monthly allotment.

In the end, a dedicated server may cost a bit more, but it's well worth it. Control, reliability, and all the bandwidth you need to serve your site's visitors make a dedicated server cheap for the price.