The role of the server architect
This is where a server architect can come into play. There is a variety of different hosting available, which we’ve spoken about previously, and some complex configurations can be fully managed, such as ours. Others, such as AWS, require you to configure the server yourself and manage it as well. This is the role of a server architect.
These experts need to know more about a hosting environment than website development. Security, scalability, optimisation as well as backups and disaster recovery are all things that this expert needs to know. And to know well.
You may have the size of an agency that can support this role or be lucky enough to have team members who have this knowledge. If you’re a smaller agency with a team whose skills are focused on the cPanel rather than shell access then a good host to be an extension of your team can help.
When to look at a hosting provider that acts as an extension of your team
If cPanel over shell access didn’t mean much to you then we’d recommend looking at a host that can act as an extension of your team. But what do we mean by that? Well, we recommend looking for:
- An easily accessible server/hosting expert – A hosting provider that acts as an extension of your team needs a quick response time and multiple points of contact for you. They need to give you the feeling that they are responding from the next office to enable you to operate quickly and efficiently.
- An expert who shines as an expert – We recommend you ask the right questions of your hosting provider in terms of their skills. If you want them to act as an extension of your team then you need to know they have you covered on everything from DNS to DDOS migration.
- Bespoke hosting to your requirements – If a basic hosting package is no longer what you need then moving to a host that can advise and configure to your requirements is key.
- A host that looks at the current and future big picture for your client – Are they working to an optimum hosting environment but also understanding budget requirements? You want to be able to have that dialogue with a hosting provider that works as an extension of your team.
How ProStack start the process of agency/hosting relationship
For us, the first step in our process is to conduct a free-of-charge server and site audit. This allows us to see how your servers and website are hosted and configured. As part of the audit, we investigate where we can increase security, and improve performance whilst also ensuring scalability.
Why not put us to the test? Chat with us or reach out to our support desk to see how we can help.