Dedicated server ( RAM vs Location )

[Dimitri]

Hi

I need to change one of my dedicated servers, and I hesitate.

For this project, the target audience is NORTH AMERICA.

For the same price I can get :

- i5-750 (4c/4t) 2,67GHz, with 16GB in FRANCE

or

- i3-2130 (2c/4t) 3,4GHz, with 8GB in CANADA

(same HD, same bandwidth, etc...)

In other words:

- lower frequency, but 4 "real" cores, and twice more RAM, but located in France. (this adds 100 ms for North Americans, I tested it)

- higher frequency, only 2 "real" cores (+ HT), only 8GB RAM, but located in North America (9ms from NYC, and 15ms from LA)

Both CPUs seem good for my usage, (I know they are old, but it's cheap, and enough), so the question is RAM vs Location. Usually, I go with the more RAM, but this time I hesitate, being next door to the target audience might be something to consider. Also, the i3 has less cores, but faster, so it might generate dynamic page and encrypt them a little faster... so... I hesitate :)

[mack]

Is colocation an option, supply the hardware and have it hosted and managed in the data center of your choice. You can get exactly the hardware you require, in the location you desire. The initial outlay will become another factor to take into account.

hmmm I may have just made your decision harder :-)

Mack.

[Dimitri]

Sorry, I forget to mention, no collocation. But thanks for the suggestion.

[graeme_p]

Depends on your application. Look at RAM usage underload and if a reasonable proportion is being used for caching rather than the application you are probably fine.

At the moment you know that the one in Canada has a significant performance penalty (90ms is on the edge of what is perceptible, and if it happens to multiple files per page it would be very significant), whereas its only possible that the extra RAM will make difference. Unless you find evidence it makes a more than 90ms difference to page load time, go with Canada.

[csdude55]

FWIW, I use a VPS from Softlayer. It's based in Washington DC, and as a VPS the price is right on point.

I've done a lot of tweaking, and my RAM stays near the red but is OK. The CPU stays peaked, though, so my next upgrade will be on CPU. So were I in your shoes, I would be more worried about the larger CPU than the increase in RAM.

Definitely compare to Softlayer because you might get something just as good for cheaper, but were I in your shoes and had to choose between the two, I'd pick Canada, no question.

[robzilla]

Impossible to say without knowing the importance of latency and RAM to your application. 100ms will definitely be noticeable when serving websites or downloads, for example, but running out of RAM is no picknick either. Why can't you get a server in the USA, though, if that's where your users are? Is it the price? For $75 you can probably get the France server in the USA (Phoenix, Dallas, perhaps even sonewhere more central).

[keyplyr]

If your visitors are mostly from the US, the largest user group is the East Coast. The prominent backbone on the East Coast is Cogentco. There are numerous server companies in that range, one of the largest being Psinet.

[Dimitri]

Why can't you get a server in the USA, though, if that's where your users are? Is it the price? For $75 you can probably get the France server in the USA (Phoenix, Dallas, perhaps even sonewhere more central).

- I am with the same host since 15 years, without a single problem, so I'd like to stick with them,
- I tried a couple of times US hosts (The Planet and Layered Tech), and get only problems,
- These servers are ~ $15 :), I know that my host is very cheap, and that people don't like it, and had issues, but for me it has always been rock solid relationship (hardware, assistance, network, etc... 110% satisfaction )
- I am not enough familiar with the Patriot Act, so I don't know, if I rent a server in the USA, if there are additional things I have to do, to conform to US laws.
- Affiliates programs are often asking to certify you do not have activities in the US, to let non US businesses to apply, and in their definition of non US activity, targeting US audience is not a problem, but they are mentioning "owning" a server in the US, it's unclear if owning and renting are the same, but I don't want to take risks.

The thing is, with my health problems, I am now having also crisis of anxiety, and thinking about it, I think I'll play it safe and stick with a server in Europe. Also, with the GDPR , I don't want to risk problems if Europeans are registering and the data stored outside the EU. I know the GDPR is not forbidding it , but right now I feel anxious about anything :).

So thank you all for your comments, and sorry for having wasted your time.

[robzilla]

Adding 100ms latency would probably give me more anxiety than any of those things ;-)

$15 does explain the older hardware. Can't beat that price.

Perhaps there's a way to decrease RAM usage so you can still take the Canada route.

[Dimitri]

I'll think about it. Thank you.