How your dedicated server bandwidth is measured
In order for companies to get the best rewards from their SEO and marketing efforts, it is ideal to choose a company that will provide a dedicated server hosting service. This is because a site with maximum uptime will inevitably be favoured more by Google than those with frequent downtime.
There are several different methods that a provider may use to measure the bandwidth and connectivity of your dedicated server. These different measurements also differ in the way a customer is charged for bandwidth use.
95th percentile method
With this method, the provider will charge on a system that is referred to as “burstable billing”. This is when customers are allowed to have a 5-minute burst of data usage once a month. This usage burst is well above the agreed-upon threshold but does not incur extra charges.
Unmetered method
This is (as the name suggests) a bandwidth service that does not require a meter. There is no “top line” speed, instead the total amount of data allowed is based on the switch level configured by your provider. They have control over the high point that a data transfer cannot exceed. Customers should be aware that going over this “top line” will often result in extra charges.
Total transfer method
This refers to the total of all data (bytes) passing through your server, both in and out. Total Transfer is a term used to describe the sum of all this data. Some providers will only measure the data that starts from your server and transfers to the internet.
Bandwidth pooling
This method allows the user to optimise their bandwidth usage by placing all their server dedicated bandwidth into a “pool”. It allows customers to determine which provider’s pricing structure is right for them. It is useful for specific requirements. For example, let us imagine a company hired out ten servers, each with two terabytes of bandwidth. The provider can then allow the customer to use the entire twenty terabytes on only one or more server, allowing them to use the others for more appropriate applications such as storage, search or database functions.
Different providers offer measurement and payment bundles using one or more of these methods. Choosing the right measurement for you will depend on your own company’s needs. To find out more about what we offer, get in touch with us at Clouvider.