Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

July 30, 2010

Dedicated Servers – Leasing vs Buying

Dedicated web servers are simply servers that are dedicated to the usage of a single client or webmaster.Thus, a dedicated server is simply a privately owned or leased web server that is not shared or partitioned amongst multiple web site owners. Since the resources are not shared these servers tend to offer a lot of power and are ideal for online businesses or site owners with one or more multiple large web sites.

After climbing the ranks of the web hosting industry every webmaster eventually begins searching for a dedicated hosting plan for their endeavors. However, while most people lease a dedicated server, some make the decision to buy a server and store it themselves. If you are considering buying a dedicated web sever then you may want to consider the following information.

Long Term Cost vs Short Term Investment

The primary difference between leasing and buying a dedicated server is the cost. When you lease a server, you are basically paying for a web hosting plan each month. Unfortunately, web hosting plans do not offer rent-to-own options, which means you will be paying the monthly fees for as long as you need access to a dedicated server. Most dedicated hosting plans cost about $100 per month, which means a single year would cost about $1200. Since dedicated servers cost about $3000-$5000 brand new, it would take approximately 2-4 years of renting a dedicated server for that cost to accumulate. Therefore, most people believe it is wise to simply rent a dedicated server rather than purchasing one, hence the popularity of dedicated hosting plans.

Server Storage

One of the main problems with buying a dedicated server is server storage. Unfortunately, a web server cannot be stored in normal conditions for extended periods of time, as this will shorten the lifespan of the server and cause issues like dust build up and overheating. Thus, web servers need to be stored in colocation facilities or datacenters that are specifically designed to store web servers safely. These storage facilities charge monthly fees to store dedicated servers, and in most cases these fees are about as expensive as a standard dedicated hosting plan. The added expense of server storage is another reason why most people do not buy dedicated servers.

Server Maintenance

Server maintenance is another important issue to consider when deciding whether or not to purchase a dedicated server. When you own the web server you are responsible for keeping everything performing optimally, which means you will need extensive knowledge in server maintenance. Without qualified technical assistance, it is not wise to purchase a dedicated server. When you consider the cost of hiring an internet technology professional, it makes much more sense to simply lease a dedicated server through a web hosting plan that includes full 24 hour support.

Conclusion

If you own a large corporation, you have an IT support team available at all times, or you have a lot of money to invest, then you may want to purchase your own dedicated server. However, if you are like the majority of webmasters then you may need to stay within your budget and make the sensible decision to purchase an affordable dedicated hosting plan instead.

Tags: web server,  leased server,  Dedicated Servers,  dedicated server