Buying a dedicated server can get very expensive. It can cost you thousands of dollars to buy a physical dedicated server for your business.
But don’t let the expensive price tag scare you away from getting a dedicated server – there IS an alternative to buying it:
You can rent a dedicated server instead!
Renting a dedicated server can cost as little as $100/month, and you won’t be stuck with an expensive server in your office when you no longer want to rent it.
Read on to find out:
- What is a Dedicated Server?
- How to Get a Dedicated Server
- How to Rent a Dedicated Server
- How Much Does a Dedicated Server Cost?
…and a lot more! Let’s get started.
What is a Dedicated Server?
A dedicated server is a web hosting solution that offers hosting for a single user. Dedicated servers are widely used by businesses because they provide continuous high performance for hosting their web services.
Dedicated servers offer great performance because their hardware isn’t shared between multiple users. For example, on a dedicated server you’ll get full access to the hardware listed on the spec sheet. You won’t be sharing the 32GB of RAM with any other users, as you would if you were using shared hosting.
When you get a dedicated server, you also get the best security for your hosted services. Because shared servers are used by tens or hundreds or users, they all create a path for security threats to enter. However, as the only user on a dedicated server, you can set up your preferred security system in place and you will be less susceptible to security vulnerabilities.
If you want to know more about shared vs dedicated hosting, check out our guide to the differences between shared and dedicated servers!
How to Get a Dedicated Server
There’s two ways you can go about getting a dedicated server. First, you can purchase a physical dedicated server for your office. Alternatively, you can rent one from a dedicated hosting provider.
Here’s what you need to know about each option:
#1. Buy a Dedicated Server
The first option you have for getting a dedicated server is buying one. You can purchase a customized dedicated server, set it up in your office, and host your website or application there.
However, buying a physical server is very costly. You’re looking at an upfront cost of a few thousand dollars. The price will only go up as you buy expensive upgrades that you might not even need.
Moreover, you’ll have to set up and manage the dedicated server yourself, so you’ll need a staff of IT professionals to do the job.
#2. Rent a Dedicated Server
The second option you have for getting a dedicated server is renting one from a hosting provider. This comes with 3 distinct benefits over buying a dedicated server:
For one, you don’t have to pay for the entire server upfront. If you end up deciding that you don’t need the server anymore next week, you won’t be thousands of dollars in the hole.
Second, to rent a dedicated server, you don’t even need an in-house IT team. Companies that rent out the servers have their own staff, so you personally don’t have to bother much with server maintenance.
And finally, it’s easier to upgrade / downgrade your hardware. If one day, you realize you need an upgrade to your server hardware, all you have to do is get in touch with your hosting provider. You don’t have to personally find the upgrade, buy it, set it up, etc.
How to Rent a Dedicated Server
It’s very simple to get started with renting a dedicated server. You should first choose the hosting provider you’ll rent from. Here’s a list of the top 10 dedicated server hosting providers if you need help choosing one.
When looking for a hosting provider, it’s good to look for features such as DDoS protection for your dedicated server, as well as 24/7/365 customer support. This way you’ll never have to worry about any technical issues with your server.
Then, the next step is to choose your new server’s specifications. Hosting providers usually offer pre-configured hosting packages, but you can always ask for a custom one.
When you decide on the server you want, you’re ready to start hosting! Dedicated server providers will usually have your dedicated server ready for use within 24 hours.
All you have to do is migrate your hosted services if you were already using web hosting or start hosting your brand new web application!
How Much Does a Dedicated Server Cost?
Dedicated server prices usually start from $100/month. Any upgrades you add-on, such as more storage, unmetered bandwidth, and managed support will be a small extra fee on top of that.
Some dedicated hosting providers rent their servers by the hour, which means you will pay for the server depending on your hourly usage. If your server isn’t actively being used (for example when your users log off at night), you won’t be charged much.
What is The Use of a Dedicated Server?
Dedicated servers are optimal for hosting web services that demand continuous high performance. That’s because dedicated hardware can provide uninterrupted performance that just isn’t possible with a shared server.
Here are some of the most common types of services that are hosted on dedicated servers:
- Websites
- E-commerce sites
- SaaS applications
- Backup solutions
- Media outlets
- Online school platforms
- IPTV streaming
- Gaming platforms
- Online banking services
Want to know more about dedicated servers? Check out our guide to dedicated server advantages!
Types of Dedicated Servers
There are 4 main types of dedicated servers you can rent:
- Standard Dedicated Servers are the most common type of dedicated servers. They offer much better performance than shared servers and are suitable for hosting simple websites and apps that don’t have a lot of users or need a lot of computing resources.
- Managed Dedicated Servers are good for those who are just getting started with web hosting. They are identical to standard dedicated servers, but have the advantage of being fully managed by the hosting provider. You don’t need any technical knowledge to get started with hosting on a managed dedicated server.
- Enterprise Dedicated Servers are ideal for large corporations’ hosting web apps that are used by millions of people. They offer maximum reliability, availability, and performance for hosting the most demanding web services.
- Unmetered Dedicated Servers come with unmetered bandwidth and a 10Gbps internet connection to handle large volumes of traffic. They are useful for web services and apps that get a lot of monthly visitors. That’s because traffic is exchanged between visitors and your server. This results in high bandwidth usage, which can only be handled using unmetered dedicated servers.
Depending on what type of service you’re planning on hosting, you’d pick a different dedicated server type.
Do You Need a Dedicated Server?
There’s different reasons why you might need a dedicated server. The most common reason why businesses opt for a dedicated server is because they have outgrown their shared server.
As a cheaper hosting solution, shared servers are more attractive. However, they are also very limited and cannot support businesses that are growing. That’s why most businesses eventually end up switching to a dedicated server.
It’s also very common for businesses to start hosting on a dedicated server with scaling in mind. If you are planning to scale up your business in the future, you should definitely get a dedicated server.
Another common reason for businesses to opt for dedicated hosting is to have root access to their server. Dedicated servers give you root access, which allows you to make any actions on your server that require administrator permission.
Best Dedicated Server Provider
You’ve decided to rent a dedicated server, but you don’t know where to get one? You can find the best dedicated servers at RedSwitches today!
At RedSwitches, we offer powerful dedicated servers with only top-quality hardware for hosting your most demanding applications.
Starting at just $100/month, our cheap dedicated servers will give your web services the ultimate performance boost.
Our dedicated servers are located in data centers all over the world – the US, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, India, and in many other countries. We will get you closer to your clients so they can enjoy your web services at full speed.
It’s very simple to start renting a dedicated server with RedSwitches – simply pick out your preferred package and the upgrades you want. We’re one click away – contact us now!
Renting a Dedicated Server FAQ
#1. Should I buy or rent a dedicated server?
In most cases, It is much better to rent a dedicated server for your business than to buy one.
First of all, you won’t have to pay the full price of a dedicated server. Then, you won’t have to drag a giant server to your office, because you’ll have remote access to your rented server. And finally, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you don’t have to set up the server yourself because your hosting provider will take care of that process.
The one situation where buying a dedicated server makes sense is if you’re a large corporation with specific needs, lots of resources, and a trained IT team.
#2. What is a rented server?
A rented server is a physical server that is leased to you by a hosting provider. When renting a dedicated server, you get full access to a server that is located in the hosting provider’s data center.
To use your rented dedicated server, you pay the provider a monthly (or hourly) fee and you can access it from anywhere in the world.
#3. Where can I rent a dedicated server?
You can rent a dedicated server from most web hosting providers on the market. However, not all of them offer dedicated server hosting as an option.
RedSwitches offers high-quality dedicated servers at affordable prices, and it’s a great hosting provider for all businesses.
#4. How much does it cost to rent a dedicated server?
Dedicated servers start at about $100/month. However, the price will vary if you upgrade your dedicated server.
Key Takeaways
And that’s a wrap! Let’s recap the most important points you should remember:
- A dedicated server is a hosting solution dedicated to a single user, and it isn’t shared between any other users.
- There are two ways you can get a dedicated server: buying and renting.
- Dedicated server pricing starts at about $100 per month, but it can vary depending on the server’s features.
- You need a dedicated server if you’ve outgrown your shared server or if you want to get continuous high performance out of your hosting solution.
- The most common types of dedicated servers are: standard, managed, enterprise, and unmetered dedicated servers.
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