What Are the Pros and Cons of Getting a Dedicated Server?
This article sets out to weigh the pros and cons of investing in a dedicated server. If you’ve been thinking of getting one, your business has outgrown your VPS or shared hosting plan’s capabilities.
As a dedicated server is, essentially, a piece of hardware, it requires regular technical maintenance. This requirement is counterbalanced by 100% uptime, lightning-speed loading times, and unlimited bandwidth and root access.
The Pros of Getting a Dedicated Server
Here are some of the advantages of moving your websites to a dedicated server.
High Traffic Isn’t An Issue
No matter how much internet traffic your site generates, a dedicated server can easily manage it. A medium-class dedicated server can handle about 20,000 unique visits daily without even the slightest lag.
Dedicated Servers Provide Maximum Data Protection
Because a dedicated server hosts only one site, it guarantees the highest level of personal data protection. All banks, payment operators, and government agencies use dedicated servers.
Dedicated Servers Can Manage Big Data
If your business involves big data management or machine learning development, you will need a cluster of dedicated servers to manage the massive load of information.
A dedicated web server usually maintains a single website, but several of these working together can manage huge databases without any lag.
Big data servers are more secure than regular dedicated servers because they don’t use SQL. They are thus immune to the so-called “SQL injections.”
Dedicated Servers Are Perfect for Gaming
Online gamers use dedicated servers to host their favorite game. In this way, they can use the full potential of their machines for playing. The server’s immense online streaming power eliminates lags and crashes.
Huge Storage Capabilities
Every shared hosting gives you a certain amount of server space as per your plan. Your website has terabytes of space to grow and develop with a dedicated server. A standard dedicated server can store over 500 TB of information.
The Disadvantages of Getting a Dedicated Server
Having outlined the benefits of investing in a dedicated server, let us now look at some problems that these powerful machines may have.
Dedicated Servers Are Costly
If you have a relatively small website, you will probably need to spend between $1,000 and $3,000 on a decent dedicated server. Alternatively, you can rent one for about $100 per month, management included. If you choose to buy one, you’ll probably need to hire a full-time server admin (not recommended) or contract one to check it out once or twice a month (recommended).
Dedicated Servers Get Hacked
Every computer connected to the Internet is at risk of getting attacked by hackers, and dedicated servers make no exception. Some of the most common types of online threats that dedicated servers face are:
- Password breaches
- Malware Installation
- Denial of Service Attacks
- SQL Injections
- Ransomware Attacks
To shield your dedicated server from the risks listed above, you are going to need professional help. The cheapest dedicated server management offers start from $200 per month.
Dedicated Servers Require Space
Dedicated servers’ enormous processing power comes at a cost: they need special server rooms with a controlled temperature of 68 and 71 F (20-22 C). This temperature isn’t easy to maintain. You’ll probably need a costly air conditioning unit.
When to Move to a Dedicated Server
Having outlined the advantages and disadvantages of getting a dedicated server, let us now establish when the time has come to move your site to a dedicated server.
The Unique Visits to Your Site Are Rising
As soon as the unique daily visits to your website click 1,000, it would be best if you started looking to hire or buy a dedicated server.
Your Website’s Growing
If your website is growing bigger and bigger, a VPS may no longer be able to provide the storage space it needs. Hence, it’s time to move it to a dedicated machine.
