Dedicated servers or dedicated server machines describe a hosting option in which your website has dedicated resources. This type of hosting option is typically reserved for websites with high resource needs or sensitive information. For example, as an eCommerce website scales, they will have to keep customer information safe as demand increases.

To do so, they will need a hosting option with increased security features and dedicated resources. In this case, dedicated hosting is the ideal option, However, for some small to medium-sized sites experiencing growth, a virtual private server can offer some benefits. When choosing your hosting option, you should consider your site’s needs and whether you can

What Is a Dedicated Server and Why Do You Need One?

Dedicated hosting means your website has its own “dedicated” server. This means you get more CPU processing power, more flexibility, and more resources, but it usually comes at a price. You have to pay more for dedicated servers and that’s why it’s important to conduct research before diving into your dedicated server plan.

You might be aware that shared hosting stores your site on a server with other websites. If you don’t have that sufficient of needs, then this might suffice. However, if you have extensive needs you should look into dedicated hosting because you don’t want your website suffering from subpar performance. With shared hosting, you can also lose out on the flexibility of dedicated hosting because you can’t configure things yourself.

Conversely, VPS or virtual private servers give your site its own dedicated space, which is separate from other sites while sharing a server. Because your site is separate from other users, its performance should be more consistent. You should also benefit from more flexibility in this model.

VPS options offer lower costs than dedicated hosting and represent a solid middle ground for small to medium businesses who want reliable, flexible hosting options without having to break the bank. But if you need a plan that offers robust server capabilities, dedicated hosting is really the only option to consider. The downside might be cost, but if you have high-traffic, the cost justifies the service.

When Do I Need a Dedicated Server?

– Your Website Is Growing
If you anticipate rapid website growth, you likely need to consider dedicated hosting options. If your site experiences sudden spikes in traffic, its performance could drop substantially. This is especially damaging if you own an eCommerce website. If you have higher bounce rates and losses in revenue, you won’t have to worry about dedicated hosting anyway because customers won’t be visiting your site for long.

This is not an easy decision and you need to give yourself ample time to migrate your site from shared hosting or a VPS to a dedicated server. You also shouldn’t wait until the problem is already upon you to start planning for this migration. By that time, it will be too late.

Your site should ideally be able to handle spikes up to 30x your normal daily traffic. This would account for promotions and special events. Imagine your Black Friday sale going up in flames because you simply didn’t think ahead about your hosting option.

Your Website Needs Heightened Security

Security is always important for websites, but some should place a special premium. For example, websites containing sensitive customer information such as confidential emails, or credit card numbers need heightened security to protect this information from hacks, viruses, and other risks. With dedicated servers, you’re in charge of your site’s security, meaning you optimize the features you need for specific security requirements and stored files.

You can typically specify whether you want fully or semi-managed maintenance plans. Hence, you can determine what you and your host will be responsible for, meaning you can trust an expert with mission-critical functions while handling the other concerns directly.

You Want Faster Page Loading Speeds

Your page loading times always have an impact on your website performance. Slow pages lead to low engagement rates and high bounce rates. Dedicated servers can help optimize this aspect of your website as much as possible.

On a shared server, you won’t have any insight into the resources your website is using. Because of this, there’s really no way for you to improve your site speed. Choosing a dedicated server guarantees you have the bandwidth you need for faster page load times.

Having Control Over the Server Is Important to You

You might also want a dedicated server option if having control of the server is an important aspect of hosting for you. Having complete responsibility over your hosting is beneficial for a few reasons. First, you can favor the resource control of a certain software and choose the software that best suits your needs.

Additionally, you can adjust hardware specifications and install your own operating system. For these reasons, dedicated hosting options are appealing to web developers and those with unique and specific requirements.

Conclusion- What Are Dedicated Servers?

Dedicated servers describe a hosting option for websites in which all of the server’s resources are dedicated to your website. You might not need a dedicated server if you have a blogging site or a small website that doesn’t experience a lot of traffic. You might not even need a dedicated server if you have a medium-sized site. In this case, you might be able to use a VPS option that separates your hosting from the rest of the sites sharing the host server. However, if you have extensive website hosting needs, or you simply want more control over your hosting option, dedicated hosting is the only option for you.