Companies, especially medium to large sized ones, are becoming increasingly dependent on advanced infrastructure to keep their operations running smoothly and efficiently. A crucial part of this can be the use of a dedicated server within the IT department. At Cloud360, we are happy to explain to you what a dedicated server is and its importance for an efficient and stable organisation.
What is a dedicated server?
A dedicated server is a physical server assigned exclusively to one organisation. Unlike shared hosting, where multiple users share the same server resource, a dedicated server offers more control and customisation options. Companies can rent or buy this server to support specific IT purposes. Think of hosting websites, applications, databases or performing complex digital tasks.
Why a dedicated server?
Even though many organisations choose shared hosting, there are significant advantages to having a dedicated server. In fact, for large companies, having a dedicated server is essential, but why is that?
- Performance: By opting for a dedicated server, you as an organisation do not have a ‘burden’ from other companies using the computing capacity of the same server. As a result, you typically experience faster load times and improved performance. Of course, it is then a matter of choosing a modern server with hardware whose performance is up to date. A server that is, say, 10 years old can really be called an old beast by now. Contact us if you want to know more about this.
- Reliability: For the same reason, a dedicated server is also more reliable. As an organisation, you are not ‘bothered’ by other organisations making a mess of things on the same server. You control everything yourself, minimising the risk of downtime. This keeps critical business processes optimally protected.
- Security: In an age where cyber threats are constantly evolving, security, or cyber security, is vital for an organisation. Dedicated servers offer better security because, as a company, you have full control over the server environment. This enables the IT department or your IT specialist to implement customised security measures and protect sensitive data.
- Customisation: Every business is unique and therefore has unique IT requirements. With a dedicated server, companies can tailor their server configuration to specific needs, achieving optimal performance for the specific applications and purposes.
Alternatives for a dedicated server
Besides dedicated servers, there are several alternatives available. Examples include shared hosting, virtual private servers (VPS) and cloud hosting. Shared hosting is often relatively cheap because multiple users share the same server resource. Virtual private servers are actually a variant of this, but offer isolated space on a shared physical server, allowing more control than shared hosting. Cloud hosting uses virtual servers that are scalable on demand and offer flexibility.
So despite there being plenty of alternatives, a dedicated server remains the best choice for companies striving for optimal performance, security and customisation options, no mean feat of course. For larger companies, a dedicated server is the only option offering optimal performance because all available server capacity is exclusively dedicated to one organisation and not distributed among several parties involved. This minimises the risk of performance degradation due to external factors, such as peak times with other users.
In addition, a dedicated server offers a higher level of cyber security. Unlike shared hosting, where the actions of other users can affect your organisation, companies with a dedicated server have full control over security. This is especially critical in sectors where sensitive data is processed, such as in the financial or healthcare sector.
In addition, the customisability of a dedicated server may also be decisive for your organisation’s choice. The server configuration can be customised to your specific needs, achieving optimal performance for your specific application. This flexibility is often indispensable is sectors where customisation and scalability are key. Consider, for example, a Tableau dedicated server.
So while alternatives have their own advantages, such as cost savings and easy implementation, factors such as in-depth control, performance, security and adaptability ensure that dedicated servers are in fact always a better choice for optimal infrastructure. Investing in a dedicated server is an important strategic move when reliability and performance are a major priority.
Cloud360 as dedicated server specialist
Implementing and managing a dedicated server requires in-depth knowledge of IT infrastructure. This is therefore where an experienced IT specialist comes in. Cloud360 specialises in setting up and managing dedicated servers and will help your organisation with:
- Optimising the server configuration: A dedicated server must be configured accurately to deliver optimal performance. At Cloud360, we tailor the server to the specific needs of your business. Here, we take into account, for example, the load, the minimum speed required the traffic on the server and scalability. Cloud360 runs dedicated servers in-house and always opts for a brand new server that meets the requirements of modern times. We also offer a very competitive price for this.
- Implementing security measures: Unfortunately, threats also continue to evolve, making implementing and updating robust security measures essential. Cloud360 secures the server through firewalls, encryption and advanced security protocols, among others.
- Problem solving and maintenance: Servers require regular maintenance and any problems must be resolved quickly to maintain business continuity. Cloud360 proactively identifies problems and resolves them as quickly as possible, minimising the risk of downtime.
- Upgrades and scalability: Businesses evolve and IT infrastructure must also be able to grow with them. Cloud360 helps update the server and ensures that server capacity is scalable to meet changing needs.