Managed hosting usually includes benefits like:

• Guaranteed resolution of software issues, which may not be related directly to a server or the provider’s service.
• Installation of custom/third-party software, upon request.
• Advanced optimization and management of the server’s operating system and software packages.
• Optimization and monitoring of the server’s security, including firewalls.
• Monitoring of the server’s health and activity.
• Proactive maintenance based on server status and health reports.

In contrast, self-managed hosting may include all of the above, but on a on-request basis only, or as required by a customer’s chosen support level. Managed hosting is meant to be comprehensive, providing “360-degree” oversight and maintenance of servers.

[Via https://www.redarray.net/portal/knowledgebase/30/What-is-managed-server-hosting.html]

Nonetheless, it is possible to install XCache alongside cPanel. It is recommended not to install or enable any other caches or accelerators, such as EAccelerator or APC, with cPanel.

To begin, access your server as root and run the following commands:

wget http://xcache.lighttpd.net/pub/Releases/1.2.2/xcache-1.2.2.tar.gz

tar -zxvf xcache-1.2.2.tar.gz

cd xcache-1.2.2

phpize
./configure –enable-xcache
make
make install

Locate your php.ini file, usually located at: /usr/local/lib/php.ini

Add the following line to the end of the file, then save and close the file:

extension=xcache.so

Finally, restart the webserver with:

service httpd restart

All done. Enjoy your server’s (hopefully) improved performance!

To install UnixBench, access your system as root, and run the following commands:

apt-get install build-essential libx11-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libxext-dev

wget http://byte-unixbench.googlecode.com/files/UnixBench5.1.3.tgz
tar xvfz UnixBench5.1.3.tgz
cd UnixBench
./Run

1. Start the Registry Editor by navigating to Start > Run > regedit
2. Locate the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber
3. Click the subkey PortNumber, find the Edit menu, choose Modify, then select Decimal.
4. Type your desired port number. It should be xxxx or xxxxx, and should not conflict with another running service (choose a high port number).
5. Click OK. Exit Registry Editor. Restart the system.

The port accepted by the server for RDP connections will now be updated.

NOTE: To connect to the server on the new port, you will need to specify the port in Remote Desktop Connection or your RDP application of choice. This is usually done by entering the server’s IP address and port in the following format: 0.0.0.0:33994 (Where “0.0.0.0” is the server’s IP address, and “33994” is the RDP port number.)

via RedArray Knowledgebase: How to Change/Update RDP Port on Windows Server 2008

1. Log in to your server via SSH.
2. Run the following command by copying and pasting the entire command into 1 entry in the terminal:

wget http://packages.sw.be/rpmforge-release/rpmforge-release-0.5.2-2.el5.rf.x86_64.rpm;rpm -Uhv rpmforge-release*.rf.x86_64.rpm;yum install -y htop

via RedArray Knowledgebase: How to Install htop via SSH on Linux Server (CentOS, Fedora, RHEL)

The SSH (Secure Shell) protocol is designed to allow users to interface with a the server’s Linux command line from a remote location. To connect to a Linux dedicated server via SSH, including CentOS, Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux servers, follow these steps:

1. Download “Putty.exe“, a common SSH client terminal, from here: http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty.exe
   1.  Alternatively, Mac OS X users can simply open the Terminal app, and Linux users can open their system’s terminal emulator as appropriate.
2. Install Putty, then open the application.
3. When prompted for an IP address or remote server’s name, enter the IP address of your dedicated server. Set the connection port to 22, unless you have already configured the server’s SSH port to a custom value.
4. Click Connect. Putty will open a new window, which should prompt you for the server’s root password.
5. Enter your dedicated server’s root password. Note that the password will not appear on screen as you type, but it will be recognized nonetheless. Press Enter when complete.

If you entered the correct IP address and password, you should now be connected to your server via SSH. You may now use the terminal you created to run Unix/Linux commands and configure the server as needed.

[via https://www.redarray.net/portal/knowledgebase/14/How-to-Access-a-Linux-Server-via-SSH-Terminal.html]

To connect to your Windows server via RDP, simply follow the steps below:

1. Open the program Remote Desktop Connectionon your PC. The program is included with most versions of Windows XP/Vista/7/8.
   1. If you are a Mac user or cannot locate the program, it is available to download for free from Microsoft.
2. In the “Computer:” field, enter your server’s IP address.
3. When prompted, enter the username Administrator and the administrator password supplied by RedArray with your server setup information.

If you entered the information correctly, your server’s desktop should appear in a window on your PC. Now you can browse the server’s files, install programs, etc., like any other PC.

[via https://www.redarray.net/portal/knowledgebase/15/How-to-Access-a-Windows-Server-via-RDP-Remote-Desktop.html]

The performance of a dedicated server is often directly related to the power of the CPU it is equipped with, although other factors such as storage configuration can also play a significant role. In general, processors with a greater number of cores, and greater frequeny per core (usually measured in GHz), will provide increased performance for all tasks that require processing.

[From the RedArray Knowledgebase: https://www.redarray.net/portal/knowledgebase/22/What-is-CPU-processor-and-how-does-it-affect-a-dedicated-server.html]

In contrast to Hard Disk or Storage, RAM (memory) directly affects server performance. Without a sufficient amount of physical RAM, a server may have trouble running software with the desired level o performance.

One of the key benefits of dedicated servers is the ability to accommodate a large amount of physical memory (RAM). Dedicated servers can be configured with up to 128GB, or more, of hard-wired RAM. That’s a lot!

[From the RedArray Knowledgebase: https://www.redarray.net/portal/knowledgebase/21/What-is-RAM-and-how-does-it-affect-a-dedicated-server.html]