This article explains what each managed hosting services tier includes, how they differ, and how to choose the right level for your Cloud VPS or dedicated server at HOSTDOG.
What are managed services?
Managed services mean HOSTDOG's team actively maintains your server infrastructure. Instead of handling OS updates, security patches, monitoring, and backups yourself, these tasks are covered by our technical team. This is especially valuable if you do not have a dedicated systems administrator or prefer to focus on development rather than server operations.
All HOSTDOG Cloud VPS and dedicated server plans include at least the Basic managed services tier. You can upgrade to Advanced or Premium at any time.
Managed services tiers compared
| Feature | Basic | Advanced | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OS updates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Security patching | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote incremental backups | Not included | 7 daily, 4 weekly, 1 monthly offsite | 7 daily, 4 weekly, 1 monthly offsite |
| Priority support | Standard | Standard | Priority queue |
| Dedicated account manager | No | No | Yes |
| Performance tuning | No | No | Yes |
Basic tier — what is covered
The Basic tier is included with every Cloud VPS and dedicated server. It covers the essentials that keep your server secure and operational:
- 24/7 monitoring — HOSTDOG monitors server health, uptime, and critical services around the clock. If an issue is detected, our team investigates and resolves it proactively.
- Operating system updates — Regular OS updates are applied during maintenance windows to keep your server current.
- Security patching — Critical security patches are applied promptly to protect against known vulnerabilities.
The Basic tier is suitable for developers who manage their own application stack and backups but want the peace of mind that the underlying OS and hardware are maintained.
Advanced tier — adding backups
The Advanced tier adds automated, offsite backups to everything in the Basic tier:
- 7 daily backups — A new backup every day, retained for one week
- 4 weekly backups — One backup per week, retained for one month
- 1 monthly offsite backup — Stored separately for disaster recovery
These backups are incremental and remote, meaning they run efficiently without consuming local disk space and are stored in a separate location from your server. For more details, see VPS/Dedicated backup options and restoration.
The Advanced tier is recommended for production websites and applications where data loss would have a significant business impact.
Premium tier — full management
The Premium tier is the highest level of managed services and adds:
- Priority support — Your tickets are handled with priority, reducing response times for critical issues.
- Dedicated account manager — A named point of contact who knows your infrastructure and business requirements.
- Performance tuning — HOSTDOG's team actively optimises your server configuration for your specific workloads, including web server tuning, database optimisation, and caching strategies.
The Premium tier is ideal for businesses running mission-critical applications, high-traffic e-commerce sites, or SaaS platforms where downtime and slow performance directly affect revenue.
How to upgrade your tier
To upgrade your managed services tier, navigate to the HOSTDOG homepage and click the Log in button. Go to Services, select your VPS or dedicated server, and look for the upgrade options. Alternatively, open a support ticket and our team will process the upgrade for you. [VERIFY: exact upgrade path in Client Area for managed services tier change]
Frequently asked questions
Managed services cover infrastructure — the operating system, hardware, network, and backups. Application-level support (e.g., debugging your WordPress or custom app) is included only with the Premium tier's performance tuning feature. For Basic and Advanced tiers, application management is your responsibility.
Yes. You can upgrade at any time and the cost is pro-rated for the remainder of your billing cycle. Downgrades take effect at the start of your next billing period.
Yes. Managed services do not restrict your access. You retain full root access to your server at all times. HOSTDOG's management operates alongside your access, not instead of it.