Do you know what a "dedicated server" or full server is?
Learn what a Dedicated Server is, what sets it apart from other web hosting services, and what a dedicated web server is not in this lesson on what is the best web hosting.
Dedicated Web Server is a type of web hosting service that provides an organization or a single person with exclusive access to a physical "server," which means that the user, whether an individual or an organization, will have a physical computer of their own without sharing it with anyone else.
Unlike shared and VPS hosting, where multiple websites or users share the same server resources, a dedicated server gives you complete control over the server's hardware, operating system, software, configuration, and settings.
This means that you can adjust the server, its settings, and software to suit your specific needs and requirements, such as performance, security, and scalability without having to adhere to what the web hosting company or other users impose on you as in shared hosting services.
In this lesson from the Web Hosting Basics series, the What's the Best Hosting team will explain what a dedicated server is, the advantages and disadvantages of using it, and how it compares to other hosting options available.
In addition, as always, we will also provide some tips on how to choose the best Dedicated Web Server at the lowest possible price.
Lesson contents
Benefits of a Dedicated Web Server
Just as every hosting service has advantages and disadvantages, there are many advantages to using a dedicated web server, here are the most prominent ones from our point of view in what is the best hosting:
Dedicated server performance is high
With a dedicated server, you have the entire server's resources at your disposal, such as CPU, RAM, bandwidth, and disk space.
You don't have to share these resources with other applications, websites, or users, which means your site can handle high traffic or traffic volumes while maintaining good performance and without affecting the loading speed of the site on visitors' devices.
Maximum server control
A dedicated server gives you full root access, which means you can configure your server however you want.
You can modify the server's settings, such as ports and allocate its resources (CPU, RAM, file storage, bandwidth, security protocols, etc.). You can also monitor the server's performance, activity, resource consumption, and current server load. This way, you can adjust the server to suit your specific use cases and optimize it for maximum efficiency and reliability on an ongoing basis.
One of the advantages of having the ability to control your server is that you will have the ability to customize the server hardware and software according to your preferences and needs, which is something you will not find in other web hosting services, or at least not to the same extent, according to our experience in what is the best hosting.
For example, you can choose the operating system (OS), web server software, programming languages and frameworks, supported database types, etc. You can also install any applications or tools you need for your website or your project as a whole, such as some specialized software, tools, and software libraries. We often receive inquiries in what is the best hosting about the fact that the hosting supports a specific software library, such as encryption software, for example.
A private server is safer and more secure
Dedicated Server offers a higher level of security compared to other hosting services, as you have full control over the server environment as our team mentioned above.
You don't have to worry about other websites or users threatening your server or data. You can also implement any security measures you need, such as firewalls, antivirus, encryption, backup, access control, etc.
Therefore, by using a dedicated server for your project, it will be easy for you to meet the strict compliance regulations and standards required for certain industries, such as finance, healthcare, and e-commerce such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
Dedicated server gives you great scalability
A dedicated server allows you to increase or decrease your hosting resources as your business grows or shrinks, for example, the number of website visitors increases or decreases.
You can also upgrade or downgrade the components of your server, such as CPU, RAM, disk space, and bandwidth, depending on your needs and budget.
You can also add or remove programs and applications as you wish. As you can see from the above, a dedicated server gives you the flexibility to adapt to your needs and the requirements of your website or web application.
Disadvantages of a private web server
The use of a dedicated server has a number of advantages that make it a good deal for a good number of users. On the other hand, it has a number of disadvantages that lead a number of users from the experience of the best hosting team to avoid using it. Among the most prominent of them are the following:
Dedicated Server prices are high
A dedicated server is the most expensive hosting option of all, as you have to pay for the server's resources and its entire maintenance.
The cost of a dedicated server depends on various factors, such as the specifications of the server's internal components such as processor, RAM, type and capacity of storage media, etc. In addition to the programs and applications you use, the level of support and management you need (Managed Hosting is more expensive than its unmanaged counterpart), and the web hosting service provider you rent the server from.
According to our research on what is the best hosting, the price of a Dedicated Web Server can average between $50 to $500 per month, and the price can go even higher, depending on different server resources and other factors.
Dedicated server needs technical expertise
A dedicated server requires a high level of technical knowledge and skills to set it up, manage it, and get good performance out of it.
You should be familiar with the server's hardware and software, as well as the web development and management tools you are using such as database programs, programming languages and frameworks, and hosting control panels (if you are going to use it for web hosting - site specialization, what is the best basic hosting). You should also be able to troubleshoot any issues or errors that may arise on the server and fix them as soon as possible so that the server continues to function at its best.
If you don't have the necessary technical expertise, you may need to hire a system administrator or web developer to help you set up and maintain the server, which can increase the cost and complexity of using a dedicated server.
A private server comes with more responsibilities
A dedicated server carries a great deal of responsibility, as you have to take care of the server's security, performance, and uptime.
You should make sure that the server is always running smoothly and efficiently, and that your website is always accessible and working. You should also protect the server and your data from any potential threats or attacks, such as hackers, malware, or natural disasters.
You must perform regular backups, updates, and patches to keep your server and website safe and up-to-date. If something goes wrong with your server or website, you must fix it as soon as possible, otherwise you may lose customers, revenue, and reputation.
Of course, you can replace this by renting a Managed Dedicated Server as we recommend in what is the best hosting, which the hosting company manages and maintains for you for a higher cost and reduces your access to some settings in the server.
Dedicated web server vs. VPS hosting vs. shared hosting
To help you decide if a dedicated web server is the best option for your website, the What's the Next Best Hosting team will compare it to the two most popular hosting services: Shared Web Hosting andVirtual Private Server.
Shared Hosting vs. Dedicated Server
Shared Hosting is the most common and affordable hosting option, where multiple websites share the same server resources, such as CPU, RAM, disk space, and bandwidth, and the web hosting company manages and maintains the server, and allocates resources to different customers.
In our opinion, shared hosting is suitable for personal websites, blogs, or small business websites that have low traffic and simple requirements.
The main advantage of shared hosting is the low cost, as you only pay for a small portion of the server resources, which enables you to get cheap web hosting for only a few dollars per month.
However, the main disadvantage of shared hosting is limited performance and control, as you have to share resources with other websites and users. This means that your website may experience slow loading speeds, frequent downtime, and other issues, especially during peak traffic periods.
You will also have less control over the server's components and settings, as you have to use the predefined settings and programs provided by the hosting provider. You also won't have root access to the server, and you can't install or modify any applications or tools you need for your website except in rare cases.
VPS vs. Dedicated Server
VPS hosting is a hosting option that combines some of the benefits of a dedicated server with some of the benefits of shared hosting, where a dedicated server (physical server) is divided into multiple Virtual Private Servers, each with its own dedicated resources, such as CPU, RAM, disk space, and bandwidth.
However, you should know that these resources are divided at the software level and not at the hardware level, so each VPS resource is part of the VPS itself.
As a result of this division, each VPS operates as a separate and independent server, with its own operating system and software.
In what is the best hosting, we believe that VPS hosting is suitable for websites, blogs, or medium-sized businesses with medium traffic and complex requirements, and you can think of it as the link between shared hosting and Dedicated Servers.
The main advantage of VPS hosting is better performance and control, as you have your own dedicated resources that you don't have to share with other websites or users. You also have more control over the server:
- You can customize server settings, programs, and applications according to your needs and preferences.
- You have root access to the server.
- You can install or modify any apps or tools you need for your website.
The main disadvantage of VPS hosting is the higher cost compared to its shared counterpart, as you have to pay for the allocation of virtual server resources to you. You will also need some technical expertise to set up and manage the server, as you have to deal with the server hardware and software, as well as the web development and management tools you use.
Compare Full Server, Virtualization, and Shared Hosting: Table
The following table summarizes the main differences between a dedicated web server, shared hosting, and VPS hosting:
| Service | Price | Performance | Ability to control | Protection | Scalability | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private server Dedicated Server |
High | Excellent | Full control | High | High | Tough |
| Virtual Private Server VPS |
Average | Good | Medium Control | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Co-hosting Shared Hosting |
Low | Weak | limited | low | limited | Easier |
How to Choose the Best Private Web Server
If you decide that using a dedicated web server is the best option for your site, you need to consider a few factors before choosing the best dedicated server for your needs and budget.
To help you out, here are some tips on what is the best hosting to consider when making your decision:
Determine your site's needs and requirements before purchasing
Before choosing a hosting service for your website or project, we always recommend that you determine your needs as a first step, so if you decide to buy a dedicated server, we advise you to assess the needs of your website based on the current situation and expectations, such as traffic volume, site type, functionality, performance, security, scalability, and your ability to manage the server.
You will also need to consider the goals and objectives of creating your website, such as target audience, conversion rate, revenue, and growth. Based on these factors, you can determine the minimum and maximum resources your website needs, such as processor, RAM, disk space, bandwidth, etc.
You can also specify the programs and applications your project needs, such as the operating system (Windows or Linux), web server software, database software, programming languages and frameworks, etc.
Compare full server hosting companies
After determining the requirements and needs of your project, the next step from our point of view is to compare different hosting providers that offer dedicated web server hosting services.
You need to evaluate companies based on various criteria, most notably:
- Specifications of server hardware and components and the software and applications they offer.
- The level of technical support and server management they offer.
- Uptime and reliability they guarantee.
- Security and Backup features.
- And, of course, their server prices and payment options and methods.
We also advise you to check the quality of the service provided by the company by looking at their reviews, ratings, and testimonials of other customers who have used their services, and see how they rate their experience and satisfaction with the service provided.
In what is the best hosting, we specialize in this and you can check out the advantages and disadvantages of each company in our hosting reviews section.
You can also contact the hosting providers directly with any questions or concerns you may have about their services, or you can get in touch with the What's the Best Hosting team via the comments below or through our other contact methods.
Choose the best private server for you
After choosing the best web hosting company, you will find that each company offers more than one dedicated server package that differs in terms of server specifications, features, and price.
Now it's time to choose the most suitable server that comes with the resources you need, the features you want, and of course, the price you want.
In what is the best hosting, we have prepared a detailed list of the best Dedicated Web Servers from the most prominent hosts with the features of the smallest server and their prices with our exclusive discounts and discounts.
Do you have any questions or comments regarding dedicated servers or web hosting in general?
We welcome your inquiries and comments and respond to them as soon as possible. Feel free to leave a comment below!
