Definition of Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated servers are defined or I should say refer to the rental and exclusive (i.e. dedicated to you) use if a computer that includes a web server, all relating/ related software, and a direct connection to the Internet. These dedicated servers, or in this case this dedicated server would be housed at the Web hosting company’s premises.
Dedicated servers are usually used either for the exclusive use of a website, or a set of related company’s sites that require a considerable amount of traffic a site that handles 10, 20 or 30 million hits a day. The server can usually be configured and operated by the client remotely. But as its based at the hosting company’s premises the day-to-day management and maintenance of the server is generally (but not always) outsourced to them. It is generally acknowledged that by hosting the server at a hosting company’s data centre the client is able to save on the need for a router, firewall, security systems, network administration and Internet connection. It is also acknowledged that if chosen wisely client’s are also able to maintain their servers at data centres that ‘sit on the backbone’ and as such have a much faster connection onto the world wide web. Furthermore most if not all data centres provide a certain amount of resilience and redundancy to mitigate single points of failure (SPF), the more specialist and advanced your hosting needs, the fewer SPFs and the lower likely hood of your sites or system having to suffer down time.
Most hosting company’s allow the client to select a dedicated server whose configuration best suits their needs, others may also allow a client to purchase and install their own computer server at the host provider’s location, this is know as collocation.
Ordinarily when renting a dedicated server the client is provided with a stated amount of memory, hard disk space, processing power and bandwidth (i.e. the number of gigabits of data that can be delivered each month, and the quality and consistency of that bandwidth).
Pros
- Your own IP address/ addresses
- The server is specific to your needs and is not shared
- You can upload any software program that you need or desire
- Can still outsource the administration of your server needs
Cons
- Depending on whom your hosting with you would be responsible for your own server
- Far more expensive then shared or virtualised servers
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