A dedicated server is a web hosting plan where your organization uses an entire server. You have complete control over your website and do not have to worry about other websites impacting your site.
A dedicated server is more expensive than shared hosting. However, if your website has a lot of traffic or specific security requirements, dedicated server hosting is right for you.
Some dedicated server hosting plans require you to manage the server. Others are fully addressed. This means that the web hosting company takes care of administrative duties, like initially setting up the server, scanning, monitoring, and more. According to Liquid Web, before choosing a hosting provider, you should “evaluate the type of network and server you need for your business and ensure that your host provides you with monitoring and maintenance.”
Who Needs a Dedicated Server?
There is no standard rule for who needs a dedicated server. If you have a website and can afford a dedicated server, the benefits will become apparent. Also, if your website handles large amounts of traffic, a dedicated server may be perfect for you. If there is an unexpected spike in traffic on shared servers, your site’s performance is going to be affected. You may have increased bounce rates and revenue loss. A dedicated server lets you mitigate these challenges completely.
If you are experiencing slow page load times on a shared server, you may want to find a dedicated server. The load time of your site significantly affects your search engine results page ranking. A dedicated server will give you the optimal load time.
A dedicated server may be right for you if you need complete control over the server. With shared hosting, you have limited or no power over it. Dedicated hosting gives you full control and means that you have complete responsibility for the machine. You have the freedom to install the software you want and have total control over its security. This could be advantageous, especially if you are an advanced web user or have specific needs for your website.
The Benefits of a Dedicated Server
The first benefit of dedicated server hosting is dedicated resources. You don’t have to worry about other websites using up the server’s RAM, CPU, or bandwidth. You will know that there are no bad scripts from another website that will slow down your server uptime.
A dedicated server gives you a unique IP address. If one of your neighbors is an adult or spam site with shared hosting, your website’s rankings get pushed down. A dedicated server fixes this problem.
Dedicated hosting allows enhanced security. This is especially important if your company handles sensitive transactions over SSL or FTP.
What You Get with a Dedicated Server
With direct hosting, you lease an entire server computer. You can choose between a bare-metal server that you can completely configure yourself or can opt for a server that comes pre-configured with specific functions, such as database, gaming, or web hosting.