Almost everyone who thinks about joining Bitcoin must understand the process of mining coins based on the value of the crypto. Bitcoin uses hash cash proof of work function to mine the cryptos that allow miners to verify the transactions. In most cases, the efficiency of this mining process depends on whether an individual has the right hardware and software, as well as their knowledge of mining. However, this knowledge is not the only thing needed to start crypto mining. Even with the best ASIC machine and a highly efficient facility, you are not assured of flawless mining unless the system is managed correctly.
A majority of the hosting providers claim to offer fully managed services and all-in pricing for mining hardware. However, the claim is not usually substantiated, with many failing to deliver in all essential services. While some providers will promise to offer comprehensive services, they will miss one or more of the necessities in one way or another. In the end, the inconveniences can affect how miners go about their operations. A well-managed service provider should fulfill the basic requirements that can support your system and help optimize your mining operation’s success. Based on this information, we provide some of the critical questions you need to ask your hosting to be sure of their managed services.
Does the hosting provider offer visibility for tickets generate?
You need to question whether the hosting provider offers visibility for tickets generated and the type of visibility they provide. A ticketing system in place is crucial by ensuing issues are prioritized based on user needs. Miners will always prefer a system that monitors the status of equipment and any other factors such as hash rates and temperatures. Getting visible access to the maintenance progress and condition of your computer is essential for miners. Even when they are not directly managing their equipment, miners get a peace of mind when they can view and get a real-time update of ticket generation.
Before settling for a managed service provider, ask whether you will have visible access to ship errors and more information regarding the mining operations. Managed services should offer miners visibility to view the hash rate, any errors, or temperatures during the mining process. In essence, users want to have a uniform response to issues between those reported on a critical system and those that are hardly ever used.
Does the hosting provider offer multiple service level options?
Before settling on a managed service, it is important to ask whether the hosting provider offers more than one service level option. This information on numerous service-level options is crucial because different people tend to have other goals. As such, a hosting provider should be in a position to tailor its managed services and meet different user needs. While most hosting providers offer basic user plans, some individuals may prefer premium packages that have more efficiency. These various plans allow professional technicians to manage to troubleshoot, configuring changes, and performing many more functions.
Different users will have a unique preference regarding the level of service that can meet their individual needs. Therefore, rather than categorizing essential services, hosting providers should offer multiple service level options for different users. There should be an option to customize the services based on user needs. The most reputable providers will share support expectations, service level commitments, and remedies if they cannot offer them.
Not all hosting providers offer the same levels of service or features because there are no universal goals. Therefore, always ask your hosting provider whether they offer multiple services customized to fit user needs. This type of information can be available before agreeing to discuss the contract with the service provider, which means it should be available beforehand.
Does the hosting provider leverage firmware for automatic rule-based reboots?
Before engaging with your hosting provider, you need to question whether their managed services allow automatic rule-based rebooting without human involvement. While some miner upkeep will not require any personal commitment, many users prefer to have the liability of automation services to reduce the hassle of solving some problems. For example, a user will gladly use a system that allows them to set rules for the automation of some services.
The system should also be able to take specific steps automatically once a condition is met. For example, there should be a system that sends a notification once the temperature or hash rate reaches a certain level. Such a system should be able to configure and reboot automatically whenever there is a problem. Automatic problem solving, such as troubleshooting for common miner issues without involving the manual, can be a way out for most users. Therefore, before engaging any managed service provider, always look out for the automatic rule-based reboots.
What does the hosting provider offer for on-site support?
One of the crucial issues regarding managed services is the availability of on-site support for users. This on-site support is one of the essential factors to ensure equipment is properly maintained and optimized. The hosting provider should have a support team that monitors user activity and addresses any alerts from users. For example, miners will require help in areas such as low hash rates, high temperatures, bad chips, and going offline. This means the on-site support should be available 24/7 to respond to these inquiries and ensure smooth mining operations.
The hosing providers should be able to offer proactive support and help users maximize the hash rates. An efficiently managed service can monitor the system and provide maintenance before users have requested for them. With their expertise, the service providers should be ahead of the curve by correcting issues before users can spot them. Many managed service providers do not have resources to respond as quickly to the user issues as needed, which can be a real inconvenience. An established hosting provider should address a greater variety of topics in little time.
If you have selected a value-focused vendor, they should be able to cover what you need through proactive support. Their commitment should be on maintaining the health of a system to ensure the efficiency and smooth running of the mining operations. Therefore, ask your hosting provider if they have trained technicians on-site, monitor the system, and if there are any automated services.
Does the hosting provider manage miner configuration changes?
A quality managed services provider are those who can take steps to solve your IT problems such as configuration issues. They should ensure there are preventive measures in place to keep the problems from happening again. In this regard, one of the critical questions you should ask your hosting service provider is whether they manage miner configuration changes during the mining operations.
Miner configuration is an essential factor during the mining process as it determines its efficiency. Therefore, there should be a support team to help with all miner configuration changes. The hosting provider should manage any issues arising from the structure and alignment of the mining process. A right managed services provider can support and monitor the system for any configuration issues. This process can be a hassle for users and interfere with the efficiency of the operations. As such, users will love when the hosting system can provide the necessary support to deal with such challenges.
At the same time, the managed services provider should work with the users in navigating configuration issues. In the direction of a user, the provider should be able to assist in pool changes or overclocking any setting adjustments whenever there are changes in coins mined.
In essence, the hosting provider should engage with users when they have any projects such as upgrades, training, or customization. The managed service should have technicians who are readily available to help users install any configurations. This is one way of ensuring the mining process is energy-efficient and up to date.
Conclusion
Managed blockchain services should provide the highest overall value and not just the lowest price. Value is often the perfect place when differentiating between an okay managed service provider and an excellent one. D-central provides a host of data infrastructure that can help you make appropriate decisions regarding managed service for blockchain. If you are considering managed services, you need to ask the hosting provider several questions to prove their reliability and capability to provide the services. The managed service should be responsible for hardware and software setup and configuration, technical support, system maintenance, monitoring, and updates.