If you’ve recently started looking at various web hosting services, the chances are you’ve already come across what’s known as dedicated server hosting, and if that’s the case, you might be wondering if it’s a good choice. Your first priority at this point is to understand exactly what this type of service entails. In a nutshell, a dedicated web hosting service means that your website will be hosted on a server belonging only to you. In contrast, the majority of websites are hosted on shared servers. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The most obvious advantage of shared hosting is the drastically reduced costs, but for many businesses, there are more important aspects which need to be taken into consideration. For example, dedicated server hosting is in a totally different league in terms of performance; memory; storage, and so much more. Many larger websites in particular find that shared web hosting services are simply not ideal.
How does one actually go about determining whether or not dedicated server hosting is the best choice? Here are a few basic examples situations where such a solution would almost certainly be the best choice:
1. The nature of your new website dictates that you, as the website owner, will need to have a great deal of control over the server and its performance right from the start.
2. You are already using a shared server, but feel that you need additional features such increased RAM and etc.
Okay, now that we’ve touched on two basic examples of when dedicated server hosting might be the best option, let’s take a look at some of the key benefits these types of servers can offer:
Benefit No. 1 – Maximum Performance
The most noticeable benefit of dedicated server hosting is the excellent performance. This is particularly important if you have a complex website which requires lots of processing power. The same principle applies if you have a site which attracts a vast number of visitors. The best way to ensure the smooth running of such a website would be to move away from shared hosting.
Benefit No. 2 – Increased Reliability
Shared servers are extremely prone to crashing and other types of issues which are best avoided. Dedicated server hosting on the other hand almost never crashes, and this, together with faster response times means it offers a far greater degree of reliability.
Benefit No. 3 – Improved Security
Internet security is a major concern for all businesses these days, and this alone is reason enough for some businesses to use dedicated server hosting. Remember, the more websites there are being hosted on a particular server, the more vulnerable that server becomes to hackers and etc. By not having to share a server, you also eliminate the risk of your site being infected by shared viruses and etc.
Benefit No. 4 – Increased Flexibility
Because you will be the only one using your particular server, you’ll have the freedom to expand and grow your site as and when required. Nearly all successful websites reach a point where expansion becomes inevitable, and when this happens, they automatically need more bandwidth. With shared hosting, this is quite often not possible since the servers are already operating at full capacity. Remember, greater bandwidth means better speeds, and a better speed suggests to your visitors that you are running a very professional site.
The benefits mentioned above are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dedicated server hosting. There are still many more reasons why dedicated servers have become so immensely popular, and their popularity continues to grow all the time. It is not the cheapest option, but sometimes one really does need to look beyond the cost to realize the true benefits.
