What is Dedicated Virtual Server Hosting?

Dedicated virtual server hosting, sometimes referred to as Bare Metal, is a cloud-based solution for organizations that need premium processing power but don’t want to maintain a local, on-premise server.

Of course, the above statement could be used to describe a number of different cloud solutions. So what sets Dedicated virtual server hosting apart? It is the closest thing to having an on-premise server that is dedicated to your data and only your data.

In previous posts, we’ve covered the topic of virtual private servers (VPS), so today we’ll answer the following questions:

• What is a dedicated web hosting server?
• What are its pros and cons?
• How is it different from what VPS hosting is?
• And how do I choose which server is right for me?

First and foremost, let’s clarify what we mean by dedicated.

A dedicated virtual server is a computer server or network of servers that are hosted online and reserved for use by one client. No processing power or storage is shared with any other party.

It’s essentially like having your own on-premise dedicated server. The difference is instead of housing and maintaining the actual server yourself, a third party houses it for you and takes care of all required maintenance. Also, unlike an on-premise dedicated server, utilizing virtualization means you have all the resources of the cloud at your disposal, making scalability quick and easy.

With dedicated servers, one parent server maintains 100% control, and there is no need to delegate instances or share resources. This allows for unrivaled processing power and a high level of security. Enterprises with multiple sites, variable scalability, or resource-hungry applications often choose dedicated servers.

Let’s review the benefits and drawbacks of virtual servers.

The benefits of Windows virtual servers over local servers are many. Whether it’s the public cloud, VPS, or dedicated virtual server hosting, many companies and organizations are taking note and committing to cloud-based solutions for their hosting needs.

Here’s a look at just a few of the benefits of virtual servers:

• Low cost option alternative to on-premise investment, maintenance, personnel.
• Leverages the processing power of the cloud.
• Highly scalable for growing enterprises.
• Easy remote management.
• Data is fully backed up in case of compromise.
• Environments are single-tenant.

Virtual servers can provide so many of the benefits without the cost of a dedicated, on-premise infrastructure. But before you commit, it’s important to investigate the drawbacks as well.

The drawbacks of Windows virtual servers have not stopped a wave of site and application owners from switching over. Nonetheless, there are still a few aspects of cloud-based hosting you may want to weigh before ruling out an on-premise solution.

Here are some of the potential drawbacks of virtual servers:

• Lack of control over your hardware.
• Can’t match the custom configuration abilities of a dedicated server.
• Could be costly over time if you already have on-premise infrastructure in place.
• Security, while tight, will be less in your control.

The main drawback of virtual server solutions has to do with control and customization. However, some vendors, such as Liquid Web, do offer greater levels of customization and configurations.

Dedicated virtual server hosting is not the same model as virtual private server (VPS). When comparing VPS vs. dedicated hosting, it’s important to consider the role of the parent server.

In a VPS hosting, you have partitioned off a cloud server to act as your own private server. You have all the resources of the cloud at your disposal and a private server for data processing and storage. The only catch is your parent server will outsource tasks to a network of shared servers with different instances.

In dedicated virtual hosting, the parent server maintains 100% control of instances, giving you one more layer of privacy and processing power for sites and apps that may require database management, resource-hungry apps, or hosting resale.

Often the most important difference for many site owners is cost. VPSs are a cost-efficient solution for many small businesses that do not require high availability or burstability. A VPS will fulfill your processing needs, and you may not need the added power of dedicated servers.

Now that we’ve answered – what is dedicated web server hosting? – How do you choose what type of server is best for you?

If you run multiple websites or if you know you need a lot of resources, you may want to consider dedicated virtual server hosting. On the other hand, if your core business occurs on one site, cloud VPS will be a great solution for your users and for your budget.

For virtual dedicated servers, consider the following use cases:

• Hosting Multiple Sites: For agencies and resellers that need to host numerous sites on a single server, cloud-enhanced servers have greater processing power to handle multiple sites and their requests. Also, they generally have access to provisioning API along with easy deployment to their customers.
• Database Hosting: Because your server environment with a cloud dedicated solution is the only one on the parent server, your sites and databases have dedicated access to the full CPU and all cores.
• Cloud Private Networking: A cloud-enhanced server allows for multiple servers to communicate with one another over an internal, private network.
• Cloud Firewall: Want the same protection and security offered with conventional hardware firewalls? Cloud dedicated servers can have either basic or advanced control over which web services are allowed or denied.
• Cloud Load Balancing: You can methodically distribute traffic across multiple cloud servers, ultimately increasing performance during times of high activity or traffic spikes.

Whether you’re hosting servers on-premises or looking for cloud-based solutions, Liquid Web can help with managed hosting solutions to keep your business online.