Dedicated Server, The most popular web hosting services are shared web hosting, VPS web hosting, cloud web hosting, and dedicated server web hosting. The main distinguishing feature is that a dedicated server, unlike a shared server, is actually a single customer hosting environment. The difference has more to with branding than the actual product itself. Dedicated hosting is much more costly than shared hosting and is thus usually used by large companies with significant need for web hosting.
With dedicated servers, customers have the ability to choose their own software, which is normally a portion of the company’s own network infrastructure. Some Dedicated Server Hosting plans include a control panel which gives the customer total control over their server environment. However, it is not uncommon to find third party companies offering similar solutions. Many times, a Dedicated Server may be used as an inexpensive way to launch a website on the Internet. Some Dedicated Server Hosting packages provide a free domain name and web hosting along with a Dedicated Server.
Cloud based infrastructure services refer to servers that are provisioned as a cloud using software and then deployed as a virtual platform. This is similar to a Dedicated Server, except with a cloud server, the hardware is not dedicated but is made available as a service. Many Dedicated Servers that are based on a cloud infrastructure are considerably less expensive than a Dedicated Server. Dedicated servers use hardware that is exclusively owned by the customer and as such, requires more up-front capital.
In contrast, virtual private servers (VPS) use only virtual hardware and are not attached to any other virtual machine. A VPS runs virtually isolated software inside a hypervisor. One drawback with VPS is isolation. If one physical machine fails, no other VPS will be affected and you can continue using your Dedicated Server using another physical machine. Dedicated servers allow for greater customization which is why they are a popular choice.
With virtualization, a company’s IT infrastructure is divided up into many different servers. With Dedicated Servers, there are no sharing costs as with shared hosting. However, the resources that VPS utilize can be limited as compared to a Dedicated Server and when you select dedicated server hosting options, you are choosing your own hardware, software and applications. Some Dedicated Servers can also have dedicating administration which allows for increased control.
One of the key benefits of using Dedicated Servers is that they are flexible and can grow and adapt to meet your business needs. They are also highly resilient as compared to shared hosting and can scale up and down without any downtime. However, you need to make sure that you use only top quality Dedicated Servers with the latest hardware and operating system support. Dedicated hosting will also provide improved performance as they are not sharing the same platform as other website hosting providers. Dedicated server hosting options provide better performance than shared servers but they do come at a price.
A Dedicated Server allows you to implement stronger security measures as the physical server does not have to share resources with any other website hosting option. Although, this may result in a higher cost as well. Another advantage that Dedicated Servers offer is a data center which will provide redundant power sources and HVAC systems. This helps to reduce stress on the mainframe and your server allowing you to focus on your core business requirements.
Although, you will pay more for Dedicated Server hosting option, it is worthwhile as the results will prove to be long term. It will also help in maintaining a high level of reliability, availability and performance. Many web hosting companies also offer upgrades and domain registration which will further extend the life of your Dedicated Server. However, you should always make sure that you are not getting caught up in a contract that seems too good to be true. There are many Dedicated Server web hosting companies available which can provide all or only some of these features, so make sure that you check out a wide variety of Dedicated Server web hosting companies and compare their services and pricing structure before deciding on one.