Dedicated server also known as managed hosting service is a server that is allocated to a single organization or for a single purpose, like a website. This is different from the shared hosting which hosts multiple sites. Unlike the virtual private server, this cannot have multiple dedicated servers within them. The web design for a single organization or a single website can only be uploaded to a dedicated server.
An entire server is leased/bought which is then placed in a data center. The servers can be easily set-up inside a house or can have a separate data center where the server can be housed. Sometimes, the web host not only provides the server equipment but also provide things like server administration and other important services. However, it is only an add-on service.
There are a lot of benefits when using a dedicated server. Let’s have a look at some of the few.
Customization
First of all, the server grants entire control to the user. The organization or the user has a total control over the server, software and the security systems. Since the entire server can be used by the user and there are no co-habitants, it gives the freedom to the user to customize the server according to the user’s needs. This helps in saving the money as they can use the services and features that they require and pay only for them.
Uptime
The biggest disappointment to any consumer is when a site is down. The consumer won’t have the patience to wait till the site is back. He’ll just move on to other websites and start giving business to your competitors. The performance, functionality and the loading of a site are necessary for any website. Since dedicated hosting has all the server space for just your website or your organization, your website performs 100% of the time. Your website stands operational and efficient for the entire life. The web hosts must provide additional functionalities such as server monitoring and backup facilities alongside support services. This ensures that the website is efficient forever.
Congestion
Server congestion never happens with a dedicated server. Server congestion is a problem that users face when they use shared hosting. With a shared hosting, a host of websites are present inside a server. When the websites see a surge in traffic, the websites try to capture the bandwidth, disk space, and CPU usage. Because fewer websites are capturing a large share of the server space, it becomes increasingly difficult for the other websites to operate efficiently during the same time. With the dedicated server, the problem never arises. Dedicated servers have the entire server to a particular website or application or an organization. In fact, the dedicated servers are built for such a purpose. For any website that is bound to attract traffic that is normal than usual, the advantage is to have a dedicated website to ensure smooth functionality.
Security
Security is an important factor when it comes to website hosting. The internet is filled with malwares and virus’ that could cause trouble to any website. On a dedicated server, the users can add functionalities like anti-virus and take security measures that ensure that their data is safe and secure. They can tailor or customize such things on their servers. Also, the dedicated servers aren’t vulnerable like the shared hosting services. On a shared hosting service, any unwelcome activities introduced by neighboring sites would have an impact on all the other sites. With dedicated servers, the physical security is also stringent. The servers in the data centers will have security measures such as a biometric system to ensure the servers aren’t sabotaged.
Support
The support that the web hosts provide for dedicated servers plays a crucial role. This is because those who opt for dedicated servers will use it for powerful or critical websites with high-functionality. The support team must always ensure that the site functions without errors. So, support for dedicated servers is provided 24/7.
The Service Level Agreement (SLA) that the web host provides has critical and important information regarding the services provided by the web host for the dedicated server. It is required to go through the SLA carefully before choosing a web host.
If uninterested in opting for a service, the user must ensure that the server can be managed. The user must ensure that there’s a person to maintain and solve the issues in case of an emergency for smooth functionality.
Key Advantages
- Reliable when compared to other hosting configurations like shared hosting.
- High performance since all resources are dedicated to one website and isn’t shared.
- Custom firewall helping in safe access and enforcing control.
- Flexible and Dynamic. Has the ability to add more software’s and functions. Also has the capability to change server configurations.
- A unique IP address.
- Custom security that can be customized to the user’s needs. This solves the problem of paying or using unwanted security measures for protection.
Key Disadvantage
The expensiveness of the dedicated server is the major disadvantage of this hosting configuration. It is a major investment and cannot be used by relatively small organizations given its cost and maintenance. But it is worth the money because of the features that it provides.
