UK Dedicated Server Management Overview

When shopping for managed servers it’s important to compare like-for-like. We have not found another managed solution which matches the inclusive services we provide! We PRO-ACTIVELY manage your server from beginning to end.

Managed Server Overview

We deploy your managed server ready-to-go with all software installed, updated and security hardened. From day one your server will perform just as you need it to perform. Moving forward our experts will monitor and maintain your server 24/7/365 ensuring it is always online and performing as expected in a secure and up-to-date fashion. You need no experience yourself!

You do not need to understand the information on this page, you don’t need any knowledge or experience as our staff will take care of your server and service for you. We simply wanted to document just how extensive our server management is and what’s performed on your server, as we feel it’s far more comprehensive than any other server host provides.

Making it Ready-to-Go

The following is a list of tasks our server administrators perform to prepare and maintain your managed dedicated server and ensure it will operate in a secure, reliable manor at all times.

Initial Operating System and Security Tasks:

Install latest CentOS 4.5 operating system.
Remove un-necessary operating system software and packages.
Remove or secure default operating system users and groups.
Modify system permission to secure default directories and binaries.
Harden temporary data paths (e.g. /tmp/).
Install socket, process, resource and system monitors and brute force detector.
Install and configure Advanced Policy Firewall (APF and iptables).
Tweak & harden common services to minimise information broadcasted publicly.
Configure Smartd, a hard disk failure early warning system.
Modify default SSHd server configuration files to address common security issues.
Install and configure mod_security to filter common web based attacks.
Install 'Log Watch' software to monitor access and error log files.
Install and configure MRTG system performance graphing and analysis.
Install SIM, this automatically monitors & restarts services should they fail.
Inspect installed software to ensure all packages are updated.
Backdoor Inspection: inspect and verify server for sanity from known backdoor exploits.

Installing Hosted Services Software:

Install and configure latest Ensim Pro control panel environment.
Install latest 'hotfixes', as well as bug fixes and in-house modifications to Ensim Pro.
Setup bind DNS and configure your branded Nameservers ready for use.
Check, install and update LAMP (Apache, MySQL and PHP) environment.
Install Zend Optimiser to match server PHP configuration.
Install AWStats website statistics software and integrate with Ensim Pro.
Update and harden FTP, SSH, Sendmail, POP3, SMTP, IMAP, and other packages.
Install software licences as necessary and verify/validate server.
Login and initially configure all web based services & Ensim Pro.
Audit all software and services for updates and security patches.

Final Server Preparation Tasks:

Setup and verify our 24/7 service monitoring for your dedicated server.
Configure four-times-daily off-site backups of your entire server.
Run initial 'seed' backup to off-site location and verify integrity.
Setup desired Spam and virus filtering system (Mailfoundry or Spamassassin).
Perform final audit and 'burn in' testing of server before handover to client.

Ongoing Server Management

Our server management is a never ending task. Our expert team will constantly monitor and maintain your dedicated server and every aspect of its services for complete piece of mind.

Monitoring services and performance 24/7 to ensure server is performing correctly.
Install any security patches or critical updates immediately as they become available.
update Operating System packages, and Ensim Pro hosted services packages.
Perform a full monthly audit of your dedicated server and services.
Perform a full monthly security audit to detect any possible weaknesses.
Maintain all hosted software is the latest compatible version for your needs.
Tweak configuration files to ensure optimal server performance at all times.
Review server logs, monitors and trend graphs and action any required adjustments.
Regularly check that the off-site backups are complete and ready for disaster recovery.
Regularly test server hardware to replace parts before failure or end of life.
Provide customer with any 'additional' administrative requirements or customisations.
Provide customer with a true 24/7/365 priority technical support service.

PRO-ACTIVE is the Key

As with many products, you have good and bad managed servers. While some hosting companies will claim a server is 'managed', is it really PRO-ACTIVELY managed? We will actively perform administration duties on your server, without the need for your intervention or requests. Many managed servers from competitors will only perform admin work for you, upon your request, leading to poorer performance, security holes and a lapse in maintenance. We allow you to concentrate on your business and forget about your server - leave it to us!

Please review our managed dedicated server packages or contact us to discuss your requirements and a UnitedHosting solution. We would love to earn your business.