Managed Server Management

ZeroLag offers different server management levels to accommodate different needs. Here, you can find the answers to some of the more common questions we get about our management policies.

General Questions

Why can’t I have the root or Administrator password on a managed server?

ZeroLag guarantees the stability, security, and performance of all of our managed servers. We are able to do this because we meticulously control the server configuration as part of our server management process.

In order to ensure that we can offer this guarantee, we need to verify that the server is running a known, tested, and stable configuration. If a customer also has full administrative control of the machine, the server can no longer be considered to be in a known state. A user with root or Administrator access can add and delete users, change or delete critical system files, install untested or insecure software, and otherwise introduce configuration changes that can severely compromise the security, stability, and performance of the server. It only takes one well intentioned but dangerous command running with administrative privileges to ruin an otherwise flawless server configuration.

If a managed server is ever converted to a co-managed or unmanaged server (by divulging the root or Administrator password to the customer), that server can not become a managed server again without a complete reinstall. This is because we have no way of knowing with 100% certainty what changes have been made on such a server, and thus can not unilaterally guarantee its performance.

Our managed servers have a superior track record with higher uptime, greater stability, and better security when compared to their co-managed counterparts. By having ZeroLag maintain exclusive control and responsibility for system administration, you can focus on your business and your website, and leave the operating system configuration details to us.

Once again, if you have any questions or comments about our server management policies, we would love to hear from you. Contact us at any time.