Five Things You Get With Your Dedicated Server

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably considering making the leap from shared server hosting to dedicated server hosting. Basically, with dedicated servers, you pay for exclusive use of a server of your choice housed in a data centre along with the bandwidth, the operational costs, and support that comes with it. Naturally, this is more expensive than shared server or even virtual private servers (VPS) but the added expense is offset by the advantages it offers.

1.    Greater Autonomy and Flexibility

With dedicated servers, you are the boss. You decide what to install, how to install, and when to install, from operating systems to software, firewalls to scripts. You can configure the server to your specific needs at the outset and uninstall components you no longer need at will. Having your own unique IP address is another added feature.

This comes at a price though. You have to know what you’re doing and you have to spare the time needed to do it. Since you have the access and control, you also do everything yourself, from installing software to troubleshooting hardware and system issues that come your way. If you have even the slightest doubt in your ability to manage your server, you still have the option of relinquishing some of the control and responsibility by opting for a managed dedicated server instead. This is a case where ignorance is not bliss and a little knowledge is not only dangerous but potentially catastrophic for whatever you’re using the managed dedicated server for.

2.    Greater Efficiency and Reliability

Since you have the server all to yourself, you share the resources such as bandwidth allocation and memory space with no one. Consequently, everything on it should be running more efficiently than before despite unexpected surges in traffic or processing demands. Because you no longer have to share with other parties, you enjoy significantly better performance and issues you were previously subject to due to third parties in shared hosting such as server downtimes due to overload will now be a thing of the past.

3.    Greater Security

This also goes back to how only you have access and control to the server. Theoretically, how susceptible your server is to security threats is entirely up to you, more specifically your technical expertise. At the very least, you should make sure you have a decent firewall configured, update your software and systems regularly, minimize vulnerabilities by running only the services that you need at any given time, and test security measures implemented at set intervals.

Dedicated servers are more expensive, entail more work for the administrator compared to shared servers and VPS, and require more than the basic level of technical know how. However, you have the benefit of a greater degree of administrative control, better performance, and higher security. By taking a closer look at your personal or your company’s needs at present, and even better, in the near future, you will be able to make an informed decision regarding whether to retain your current server or upgrade to a dedicated server instead.

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