The cloud has changed the way businesses set up their internet servers. Huge cloud providers make it easy for even small businesses to scale from one instance to thousands of machines very quickly.
But what are dedicated servers anyway, and do you need one?
Keep reading for your quick guide to getting the right server for your business.
A dedicated server is exactly what it sounds like. It's a computer that's set aside for exactly one purpose, and for one user (where a "user" might be an entire single business).
Dedicated servers are used by businesses with critical functions, like a payments processor, or a cryptocurrency-based application. A dedicated server is a separate physical machine.
The term "dedicated server" can be misleading in 2019. Very few businesses actually want a fully dedicated server.
A virtual private server, or VPS, is usually the best cloud-based server for small and even large businesses. A VPS operates exactly like a private physical server, except that it's controlled by invisible virtualization technologies like hypervisors and virtual machines (VMs).
This happens in the background and is totally seamless. Large companies like Amazon and Microsoft provide the physical machines that managed service providers handle for their clients. The large companies provide the metal, but it's then up to your business and its advisors to set them up.
If you have to ask this question, a managed VPS is the right answer. A dedicated physical server (note that we have to specify the word physical), whereas a VPS is a software configuration that acts as a physical server in all ways except is a software construct.
What are the reasons a company might require a physical server? There are security and finance applications that require physical servers. There are even servers that are "air-gapped" and hard drives that are stored "cold." If you have digital assets worth millions of dollars, this is the kind of solution you may need.
The big cloud providers have set up their systems where you can spin up a server in seconds for only pennies. It's technically challenging to set up a cloud-based infrastructure. If you need a dedicated server, you'll either need to hire technical staff or find a managed IT service provider.
The best dedicated server for small business is a managed VPS system. This allows you to take full control of a virtual server, without having to worry about the electric bill or physical security for your machines.
A managed service company helps you interface with the cloud provider and can get you up and running in no time!
What are dedicated servers? They are either a physical machine or a virtual private server connected to a cloud provider. Most business applications will require a VPS system with some kind of management layer to handle it.
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