When you’re preparing to launch a new website, choosing the right hosting solution can be difficult because there are so many different options to choose from.
Two of the most popular solutions are cloud hosting and dedicated hosting. They’re both good options, but depending on your specific requirements, one will be better than the other.
Whichever option you choose, platforms like Heficed can help you manage and integrate your website with your chosen server as smoothly as possible.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the difference between the two hosting solutions so you can get a better idea of which one might be right for you.
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Dedicated hosting
A dedicated server is exactly that. It’s a server that’s dedicated to your own personal use and you don’t share it with anyone else. With dedicated hosting, your website is stored on a single physical machine in which you keep all to yourself.
You have full rights to the resources of a dedicated server, so you can organize the hosting environment to suit your exact requirements. In theory, this is a great choice. However, dedicated hosting servers can come at a premium and have their own problems, so it’s important to do your research before opting to purchase this type of plan.
Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of dedicated hosting.
Pros
- A dedicated server is all yours and you won’t be sharing it with anyone else.
- You have full access to all settings so you can organize and configure everything to suit your website’s needs.
- Since you’re the only one using the server, you can be in complete control of security.
- With 100% access to server resources, it’s fast.
- You may find web hosting companies, that consider you a priority for support, as you’re paying a lot of money for it.
Cons
- It can be pricey!
- You’re responsible for your server, so if something goes wrong it’s down to you to get it sorted.
- You may need a team of skilled technical staff to maintain your dedicated server for you.
Overall, there are a lot of benefits to dedicated servers – but they come at a price. Because of the high running costs, it’s best suited to large businesses and high-traffic websites.
If your business requires a high level of security, and you have access to the right staff to look after it, dedicated hosting could be right for you. But if not, you may want to find an alternative.
Cloud hosting
Rather than having all your data on a single machine, cloud hosting spreads the data across a number of different servers.
In effect, you manage your data through a virtual machine, rather than a physical one, and you access all the different servers via the cloud.
This type of hosting server only exists in a virtual environment. It allows multiple servers to work together to handle high traffic levels for your website – but you usually have to share the resource with others.
Cloud servers such as Heficed’s Kronos Cloud have plenty of benefits, but choosing whether to use cloud hosting will depend on your personal requirements.
Let’s consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of cloud hosting.
Pros
- Unlike a dedicated server, cloud hosting doesn’t rely on physical hardware. Instead, it’s situated in data centers where there are lots of other servers to protect against breakdowns. In other words, it’s pretty reliable.
- If you suddenly require more resources, cloud hosting can be scaled to meet your needs with ease, and you aren’t limited to any physical restraints like you are with a dedicated server.
- Cloud hosting is also incredibly versatile. You don’t have to pick a “package deal” anymore, you can have everything set up just how you want it to suit your needs.
- You only pay for the resources you use, so it’s often more cost-effective.
Cons
- It’s not a quick and easy solution to set up yourself, so you might need a little advanced knowledge or some help.
- It’s arguably not as secure as a dedicated server, as you’re sharing resources with other websites.
Given its affordability and flexibility, cloud servers are a good option for smaller and medium-sized businesses as well as the top dogs. They’re reliable and adaptable, so you can always scale up or down depending on your needs at the time.
The Kronos Cloud product is a good choice if you’re considering a cloud server but are worried about sharing resources. The bare-metal server is yours to use and yours alone – so you can eliminate the security problems you may find with other cloud hosting solutions.
Having built the server with robust functionalities and put tighter security measures in place, it’s a secure and reliable alternative to dedicated hosting.
Overall, both cloud and dedicated hosting solutions are good options with plenty of benefits. Defining the right one for you will depend on your business goals as well as your long-term IT requirements.
