Protected dedicated server is a fantastic option for large and loaded projects that require a huge amount of computing power. That’s why users of the dedicated servers are mostly big companies or those platforms that have high traffic, and of course, those clients who are searching for better security. Here in the article, we will discuss DDoS-protected servers and what you should pay attention to when searching for a secure server.
What is DDoS protected server?
DDoS attacks are imitations of the users’ activity on the site. In other words, it is like an irregular spike in the activity which prevents actual users from accessing the platform. This is a serious issue, that signifies the necessity of stricter requirements to the equipment.
To minimize the risks after the DDoS attack, changes should be made both on the level of hardware and installed soft. If everything is implemented technically correctly, then the system will detect unusual spikes and automatically proceed to the scrubbing process.
Web hosting providers have 2 approaches to this type of protection – SaaS and In-house. The first mentioned model or Software as a server means that this type of protection is outsourced and automated. In-house option offers a qualified team with specialized soft and hardware.
The most used techniques for dealing with unusual traffic are:
— Anti-flood systems;
— Firewall with blackholing, dynamic packet verification;
— Working with such server settings as Options directory, Timeout, and KeepAliveTimeout;
— Minimizing the number of UDP, SYN, ICMP per sec.
What are the major steps of DDoS process?
Before starting the search for your ideal web provider, it will be beneficial to understand the basic process. It includes the following steps:
1. Detection. Specific software is used at this stage to identify the anomalies in the traffic.
2. Diversion. Once detected all the unusual traffic is sent to the DDoS service.
3. Filtering. At this stage, specific algorithms determine whether traffic is malicious. By filtering, the number of attacks is minimized to that level when they cannot influence the site’s functioning.
4. Analysis. Due to the collected data, it is possible to prevent attacks in the future and improve performance.
What to pay attention to when searching for a DDoS protected server?
When looking for the server, it is highly important to check not only the server’s characteristics but the web provider as well. In such a way, you will get the most reliable option. Here are a couple of factors users should pay attention to:
— Scalability. It is crucial to have a scalability option, otherwise, there will be noticeable problems during peak traffic. The provider should offer adjustments when the site has traffic changes for both high and low periods.
— Level of protection. There are various levels of DDoS protection that can be offered. That’s why, it is necessary to determine these levels and find out whether it is possible to add others if there is an extra necessity.
— Users’ feedback. Try to check some comments from the users about web providers. Usually, people are rather sincere about their experience and can specify some issues. However, don’t rely on those replies with totally negative feedback without any explanation. In any way, reputation is an important component.
— Network infrastructure. Clients should be offered robust infrastructure to deal with DDoS attacks. To guarantee the availability of a certain website, a provider should have several data centers with redundant networks.
— Customer support and price. There should be a quick reaction to any issue the user might have. So, professional support that works 24/7 is needed. As for the price, the only criterion is matching your budget.
— Response time. It is crucial to have an immediate reaction from the provider in case of a DDoS attack. The shorter the response time will be the higher the chances that you will have no damage or minimal impact.
Additional recommendations
Web providers may have several plans with DDoS protection. For instance server with high DDoS performance or full protection. Additional app layer protection is usually accessible as an additional service so it may not be included in the package.
Except for the standard packages with DDoS protection, there can be available additional services that you should better find out in your provider. They may be the following:
— Additional IP address;
— Administration of the server;
— Plesk, cPanel licenses;
— Assistance with the project migration to the server.
Of course, this list depends on the providers you are choosing, and they may or may not have all these services. That doesn’t have a crucial impact on the security and protection against DDoS attacks.
To conclude, the protection of the server from DDoS attacks guarantees the smooth functioning of the website. Hardware and software levels are equally important in risk minimization and site performance. And now you know how to find the needed service for DDoS protection.
