Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

November 16, 2009

What Makes a Dedicated Server Different?

The time has come; you have finally decided to get yourself a website on the internet.  After conducting some research via your preferred search engine, you probably came across a countless number of sites offering hosting service for rock-bottom prices that appear too good to pass up.  So what does this low price get you?  In most cases, you receive space on a server along with a variety of tools that will help you build your website.  The main problem is that you are forced to battle it out with other customers who are hosting their sites on the same machine.  If your needs call for more than the typical web hosting arrangement, this environment may not be suitable for you.  The lingering threat of performance and security issues can be very damaging to your web presence.  When this is the case, you are probably best suited for a dedicated server.

PC vs. Server

Though it is essentially a computer, a dedicated server differs greatly from the typical home-based PC.  The major difference lies in the operating system.  This type of computer runs specialized versions of operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Unix, platforms that are optimized for network operations.  While your computer is made to run word processing applications, video games, and other related applications, a server is designed to run programming packages, databases, web services and other technologies associated with a website.  And although both types of computers have similar resources such as CPU, memory and disk space capacity, a server tends to have greater amounts of each, enabling it achieve a level of performance your PC could never reach.

Dedicated Servers and the Hosting Business

It has become very common for web hosting firms to lease server space for hundreds and sometimes even thousands of accounts on the same machine.  Depending on various factors, some of these websites may begin to experience problems as the server nears toward its limitations. It is also important to note that is even though you generally have the ability to manage your website, the service provider has control over the entire server.  Therefore, if there are configurations and software applications that you really need, you just could be out of luck.   A dedicated server lifts these limitations and several more by providing you with complete control.  From server configuration to software technologies, you have the freedom to incorporate the components you feel are best fit for your website.

Do You Need Your Own Server?

If you plan to run an online business with a website that contains mission-critical data and receives high volumes of traffic, a dedicated server could be the solution for you.  If your business cannot afford to compromise performance and reliability, then you probably should opt for this sort of arrangement.  Whether or not you choose to lease a dedicated server or run your own in-house depends on your budget and IT resources.  When factoring in all the costs and technical hardships, many find that the hosted option is the best way to go as it is requires substantially less upfront investment and tends to be less complex as well.

Tags: windows,  web hosting security,  dedicated server,  web hosting arrangement,  unix,  database,  CPU,  memory,  linux,  leaes server space,  disp space