What Is Dedicated Server Hosting?
Of all the terms used by hosting companies, dedicated hosting is perhaps the most easily understood. It simply means that a web server is completely dedicated to one client’s needs. No other customer shares the machine or its resources, and the client can set up and then use the server in any way it sees fit. It can host one very large website, host a number of smaller sites, or even let other companies use some of the server if it chooses.
With a dedicated hosting package, the client does not own the server. It’s simply rented, and the cost of the machine and its maintenance is included in the client’s monthly fee. The price of a dedicated box is largely based on the type and specifications of the computer (for example, a customer will pay extra for a more powerful processor or additional memory) and the amount of bandwidth allotted to the account. Whether or not server administration and support is included in the price of a dedicated hosting package depends on the individual web host, as does the matter of who has responsibility for software and operating system upgrades. Dedicated hosting gives the client full root access to the server, so that it can be configured as desired.
Advantages of Dedicated Hosting
If you need dedicated hosting and your budget supports it, a dedicated server holds a number of huge advantages over shared hosting packages.
- Performance and reliability: Since there are no other clients hosted on a dedicated server, no one else’s sites are using any of the memory or bandwidth. That means website speed, uptime and overall performance are maximized with no sudden or unexpected problems caused by another client’s surge in traffic.
- Control and flexibility: Robust sites often need very specific configurations, software or resource allocations not possible when a server is being shared with multiple users who have very different needs. With dedicated hosting, the machine can be set up and run according to the requirements of the client. It’s also likely that a client won’t immediately use all the resources of a dedicated server, providing room to grow a web presence without needing to change hosting arrangements; in many cases, the server can simply be upgraded if more memory or storage space are required.
- Security: With virtual hosting, the client has to rely on the web host to patch security holes and update vulnerable server software. On a dedicated hosting plan, the client has the option to handle those security issues immediately. Additionally, since no other customers have sites on the server, there’s no chance that someone else may be running a site which could be compromised by a virus or attack affecting the entire machine.
- IP addresses: A dedicated server will be assigned at least one unique IP address which isn’t shared with any other client, as opposed to the shared IPs used in virtual hosting. Most hosts can also supply additional IPs, if justified, for dedicated hosting clients.
