Windows 7 is the very latest operating system from Microsoft. Replacing the rather disappointing Windows Vista, Windows 7 promises to correct the flaws that made its predecessor so unpopular.

One of the changes Windows 7 makes is that it automatically synchronizes the time using the Windows Time service located at windows.time.com. Whilst this is an accurate stratum 2 time server, managed by Microsoft, it can be changed for another source of Internet time. However, even Microsoft recommend that Internet time sources should not used for computer networks as they can’t be authenticated by the time protocol NTP (Network Time protocol). Furthermore, an internet time source needs a port left open in the firewall for the time signals to make it through. Any open port in a firewall can be used by a malicious user to gain access to the network.

For a secure, authenticated and accurate method of synchronizing a Windows 7 network, then it is wise to use a dedicated network time server. Most of these time servers use the protocol NTP (Network Time Protocol) which can easily distribute a single time server throughout a network of hundreds and even thousands of machines.

Time servers plug directly into the router/switch for the network or can be installed on a single machine. Rather than rely on the Internet for a source of time and risk leaving the firewalls UDP port open, dedicated NTP time servers use either the GPS signals or long wave radio broadcasts transmitted from national physics laboratories such as the MSF signal broadcast by the UK’s NPL and the USA WWVB signal broadcast by NIST.

As these signals are external to the firewall and are able to be authenticated by NTP to establish the authority of the signals and are a more accurate and secure method of synchronizing a Windows 7 network.

A dedicated server is a sign of success for any SMB. The reasons to move into a dedicated server are varied – a high volume of web traffic, a transaction heavy database, complex application requirements, or a combination of those and other requirements- but whatever the reason, a dedicated server brings powerful capabilities to growing and established businesses alike. That power comes with an additional level of responsibilities. Protecting your server from being hacked is a serious concern requiring complete attention. In most cases you’re going to need help, and if you’ve chosen your server provider carefully, you’re going to have it.

Securing any network attached web or application server (and really, a web server is just a specialized application) is a tricky proposition. It needs to be accessible to legitimate users and locked down to the malicious ones. Consider a large concert or sporting event. The idea is to have a large attendance of happy fans, but every step taken to bolster security usually has a negative impact on the experience- long lines for screenings, no bags or carry-alls allowed and so on. As with secure e-mail service, it would seem that the two goals of access and security are somewhat diametrically opposed, but a solid server protection scheme will actually work to support both ends.

It starts with a two layer “bullet proof vest” of technology in the form of a managed firewall and an intrusion protection service. A firewall is needed to help stop brute force, denial of service style attacks. Typically emanating from multiple unsecured servers located overseas, a DoS attack will pound your server with useless traffic, overwhelming resources and rendering the server unavailable for real users. A quality firewall uses rules based access to filter and block malicious traffic while allowing legitimate traffic through. It does this in a way that minimizes latency and slowdowns, so that the process is transparent to end users.

Intrusion protection takes a slightly more sophisticated approach to this, blocking harmful traffic at the source, placing compromised hosts in quarantine and routing qualified user traffic quickly and efficiently. If your firewall represents your front line defenders, your IPS (intrusion protection service) in effect goes behind enemy lines. The combination lets you shift your security measures from reactive to proactive, but there’s a catch.

Having firewall and IPS protection in place is only the first step. This isn’t “set it and forget it” stuff, staying ahead of hackers and corporate saboteurs requires constant vigilance and regular updates to blacklists, filters, patches and more. It’s one thing to purchase and install a couple of security appliances, it’s quite another to properly manage them, and for too many SMBs, it’s a budget busting proposition. This is where your service provider comes in.

The overlooked word for too many dedicated server providers is ‘managed’. If your provider offers managed services, you are a step ahead of the game. A high end provider already has 24/7/365 staffing. They already have a massive investment in hardware and network resources. Most importantly, they already have a team of highly trained, certified engineers who can help you stay running at peak optimization, fully protected. If your provider offers managed firewall and intrusion protection, it’s a no brainer to add those services to your IT arsenal. If your provider doesn’t offer firewall and IPS, maybe it’s time to start looking at other providers.

When purchasing server space for your business, there is much to take into consideration. For small startup businesses, shared servers are likely the best option, as the costs are low while the necessary features for a business of this size are generally included. As your website grows, however, your needs expand. The general recommended threshold for upgrading to a dedicated server is around 50 to 100 GB of traffic per month. For people on the threshold between these two server types, however, the choice can seem overwhelming.

By and large, the best choice for people caught between the two server types will be dedicated hosting. Simply put, with a dedicated server you will never have to share. This means not only your own individual IP address, eliminating the risk of IP blocks based on the content or actions of another partition on your shared server, but also your own server as a whole. This means that you have your own processor, your own memory, your own storage medium, and your own operating system. You will find that your server and applications can still be managed remotely by a hosting company but that all of your server space will be your own.

Cheap dedicated server hosting offers you an environment that is much more secure than a shared server. You can run and store your own databases, operate your own programs, and handle private data without the worry of losing data to or sharing data with another host on the same server. Dedicated servers also mean installing only the applications that you want, rather than having to allow some of your server space to go towards programs desired by other sites on the server. Remote access to your server also means that if you are hosting sites for others, you will be able to provide them with instant support.

In truth, dedicated server hosting is safer, more reliable, and more cost effective than shared servers, especially for companies that have moved beyond the initial startup period. With your own server, you will never have to worry about too much bandwidth caused by multiple sites, bad scripts from other hosts that knock your server offline, or too many concurrent uploads between users. When you need a cost effective means of hosting your server and are tired of sharing resources and putting data at risk, cheap dedicated server hosting puts the power back in your hands.