Cheap SQL Hosting
Does SQL Server Hosting Need To Be Expensive?
I've been asked a few times recently if I can recommend a cheap SQL hosting solution. The people asking this question all need a small backend database to support a new website.My answer is that this depends on how much importance you attach to the data and to the performance of the website. I'll start by listing the questions you should ask when considering a hosted database server. All questions are equally valid, whether you have one MB or one TB of data:
- Does it have sufficient CPU and memory to support your requirements?
- Does it have sufficient disk space to allow for your data, logs, and future growth?
- Do the providers give you sufficient bandwidth to support all transactions and queries?
- Is there a limitation on number of users?
- Is it a dedicated server, or will there be contention with their other customers?
- What backup procedures are in place? Are you able to control the type and frequency of backups? Are you able to store them offsite?
- What are their SLAs? How much downtime is acceptable to you?
Free With Web Space
Some web hosting companies offer SQL Server with their hosting packages for free, or for very little extra cost. These are designed for use with the websites designed by their customers.These packages are a low cost way of setting up a simple backend database on a low traffic website. You are unlikely to have access to Management Studio, and are normally given a basic control panel for creating the database.
You have no control over backups. The hosting provider should perform a daily backup, but this will be your entire workspace, and not at the database level. If you have a requirement to restore to a point in time from log or differential backups, this solution is not for you.
Cheap SQL Server Hosting
For a small annual fee per database, which is related to database size and number of users, you have space on a dedicated SQL Server. Your database is hosted on a server with those of their other customers.
If your database is unlikely to be more than a few 100 MB and you have 10 or fewer users, this may be the most cost-effective solution. Remember that you are sharing CPUs, memory and network bandwidth with other customers, but you can use SSMS to manage the database.
Dedicated Server
If you need more flexibility than the above option, go for a dedicated server. This is your own server on which you can install your own software, including SQL Server and tools. The server is owned and hosted by the hosting provider, who will perform limited monitoring on your behalf (such as checking and rebooting the server, replacing faulty components, etc). Dedicated servers are normally sold to people who want to host a website and you need to find out if additional ports can be opened to enable your SQL Server instances to be accessed.Cheap SQL hosting? Well it depends how you define "cheap". The benefit is that you have full control over the configuration of SQL Server (although not over hardware such as disk configuration) and can design your own backup solution. Storing backups off site normally has to be done via an ftp server.
Bigger Budget?
With more money you should definitely be looking at paying extra for such facilities as dedicated tape or off-site vaulting solution for your backups, higher bandwidth limits, access to the data centre for yourself or your staff, etc.The cheapest way is usually to lease the rack space and fit your own servers. There are companies who will perform the monitoring for you, for a fee, but this article is about cheap SQL hosting so these options are out of scope.
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