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A dedicated server is a purchased or leased computer that is used to provide dedicated services, usually related to web hosting and other network services. Unlike what happens with shared hosting, where machine resources are shared among an undetermined number of clients, in the case of dedicated servers it is usually a single client that has all the resources of the machine for the purposes for which you have hired the service.
Features
Dedicated servers can be used both to provide shared hosting services and to provide dedicated hosting services, and can be managed by the client or by the company that provides them. The physical care of the machine and Internet connectivity is generally the responsibility of the company that provides the server. A dedicated server is usually located in a data center.
A dedicated server can be understood as the counterpart of shared web hosting, but that does not mean that a dedicated server cannot be destined to deliver this type of service. This is the case when, for example, a company dedicated to the web hosting business buys or leases a dedicated server in order to offer web hosting services to its customers. On the other hand, a dedicated server can be used as an advanced form of web hosting when a client or company has special performance, configuration or security requirements. In these cases it is common for a company to lease a dedicated server to provide itself with the services it needs by having all the resources of the machine.
Advantages
- The customer can have all the resources of the machine.
- The server configuration can be completely adapted to the particular needs of the client.
- There is more control over the applications that the web server runs.
- Maintenance and security updates can be performed with greater ease and control.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of a dedicated server is the cost of the service, which is much higher than the shared hosting. This is mainly due to the monthly cost of the machine and the need to hire services for server administration and configuration.
