If you’re running an online business, you might have heard about the benefits of getting a dedicated IP. Qualities such as better email deliverability, not being affected by the actions of the other websites within a shared IP, or improved website speed probably attracts you too. One of the easiest ways to get a dedicated IP to achieve these improvements is through online providers.
However, choosing the right dedicated IP provider is a challenging subject due to the number of vendors on the market. As a business owner who only heard about the concept and the potential benefits, you might not know how to evaluate the providers. In this article, we’ll discuss the factors that enable you to evaluate dedicated IP providers effectively and make the best choice for your business in the end.
Factors to consider when choosing a dedicated IP provider
Reliability
The first factor we will mention is reliability, which is crucial to make sure that you’re website is running without any issues. Being able to handle the website traffic without downtime or latency should be your first priority since it directly affects your users. Only the vendors guaranteeing at least 99.9% of uptime should be considered regarding this factor.
Secondly, a reliable provider should have a redundant infrastructure; meaning that they have backup servers or power supplies. Anything can happen at any time, so your provider should ensure that a single point of failure will not affect your whole website.
Lastly, your dedicated IP provider should monitor their services at all times with their experts so that any potential vulnerabilities or failures do not affect your website. In the worst case, they should have a team ready 24/7 to resolve issues in a short period of time.
Security
Another critical factor when choosing the right provider is the security level they offer. One of the main benefits of a dedicated IP is the added security it provides by isolating you from other websites. However, a good provider should have additional security features to protect your network against threats such as DDoS attacks, malware, or data breaches.
The provider of your choice should first offer a firewall to filter out unauthorized access to your website. Firewalls are as common as it gets in today’s business world so your provider should at least have this feature. One thing to note here; the firewall should be customizable and configurable to meet your specific needs.
Secondly, your provider should also offer an SSL certificate to encrypt the traffic of the website. This is needed to protect your users and prevent hackers from getting a hold of the information transmitted between the users and your website.
Lastly, a reliable provider should have a backup and recovery plan. Files may get deleted in error or a got lost as a result of a disaster. If your provider has an offsite, automated recovery plan, you’ll get back up and running in no time, which is critical for an online business.
Pricing
Pricing is the last factor we will mention in this article, but an equally important one. The dedicated IP market is huge, so you should not pay more than you have to, and carefully look for hidden fees. On that note, you should never compromise on quality for the price.
Most providers will likely charge you a setup fee once you purchase the dedicated IP address. This fee may vary depending on the complexity of their operation and the services they offer. In order to handle provisioning and the configuration of the IP address, your vendor will charge you this first step of fees.
Secondly, almost all providers charge monthly subscription fees for the dedicated IP address. By getting the dedicated IP address, you will be using their hosting services and servers. The monthly fee will vary depending on the bandwidth or features they provide. You need to evaluate your business needs and compare monthly subscription fees.
Lastly, some providers will have additional fees that are written in the terms and conditions. These are usually for exceeding the bandwidth or storage limits, and these may surprise you if you didn’t know about them first. Read everything carefully to see if they charge extra for requesting technical support for exceeding the storage limits.
Evaluating different dedicated IP providers
Research and compare providers
With the factors we mentioned above, you will first need to research and identify potential provider options to make sure you are getting the best deal for your money. Use online directories and review websites to see customer reviews while doing this.
Check the provider’s reputation
Look for certifications, customer testimonials, or awards they received from reputable organizations. A reliable provider will have a track record of success and happy customers, and you should be able to find these. This will mean that the provider you choose is known and trusted throughout the market.
Test the provider’s customer support
Before choosing the provider, you need to test their customer support. Make sure to contact them from different channels such as phone, email, or online chat. See what their response time is and how professional they are. A plus if they have 24/7 customer service.
Consider the provider’s scalability
A good dedicated IP provider should be compatible with your growing website. Scalability will be a significant topic when you start to grow. You need to be sure that the provider will be able to accommodate your needs without damaging the security and the performance of your website.
Ask about the provider’s service level agreement (SLA)
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and the client that outlines the terms of their service and the compensation the client receives in the case of failure. When choosing your provider, make sure to ask them about their SLA terms such as refund policy or response time in case of an incident.
Read the provider’s terms and conditions
Read the provider’s terms and conditions carefully before signing the deal. As we mentioned in this article, you may find hidden fees and extra costs in some cases. Understand their responsibilities and obligations to you as their customer so that you get what you paid for. Pay special attention to fields related to termination, data protection, and intellectual property.
Key Takeaways
There are hundreds of dedicated IP providers on the Internet. If you’re interested in getting one for your website, you need to evaluate these providers carefully and think about which one fits your needs the best. With the factors, we explained and the evaluation process we provided, you should be able to decide on the best provider for your website.
