Colocation Versus A Dedicated Server

The Need To Progress From Shared Hosting
There comes a time for most websites or businesses when they outgrow their shared hosting lives. When this happens to you it’s time to make an important decision. Should you upgrade to a dedicated server plan, collocate a server at another data center, or buy a private server and house it within your own premises? There are several factors that will play a part in your final decision, but the most important will usually be the financial implications. Buying and maintaining your own server is a serious financial undertaking, especially if you intend to keep it on your own premises. However, it does offer advantages in the right circumstances.

About Dedicated Hosting
A dedicated server plan is similar in some respects to a shared hosting plan. For a monthly fee you take complete control over an entire server. Instead of sharing a single server with numerous other organizations or websites you retain the benefit of the full machine. The full disk space, bandwidth, and processor speed are yours for the taking but this is also true with owning your own server. The difference is that you lease a dedicated server and all the equipment remains at the host’s data center.

The Financial Implications Of A Dedicated Hosting Plan
The big advantage that a dedicated server holds is that you do not face the same initial outlay. You don’t purchase a server and you don’t need to pay for suitable premises. In the long run there is also no need to pay for maintenance, security, or for upgrading to a new server when the time comes. Basically you receive the benefits of leasing without the cost of a server. Typically you should expect to pay anything from $100 per month for a lower end server, up to $300 or $400 for a server with high specifications.

About Colocation Hosting
Colocation enables you to purchase a server, so it becomes an asset to you or your company, and use somebody else’s data center. While most colocation plans include a fee for maintenance as well as Internet connections and security, the cost is prohibitive to the majority of websites because of this initial outlay for the server itself. Also, price depreciation plays a big part. As soon as you purchase the server it will reduce in value and when it comes time to upgrade to a new server you will have to make full payment for a new server with very little return on your old one.

Providing The Resources
Colocation requires that you or somebody within your organization manage the server and its software. This is done through full remote access so can be done from your own premises, but unless you already have someone in place with the appropriate knowledge it will mean hiring a new employee to take n this role.

About Owning A Private Server On Your Premises
Owning and maintaining your own server on your own premises demands the biggest financial outlay. As well as buying the server outright you must also provide adequate space for it. This isn’t simply a room with a shelf either. Without the right humidity, temperature, and other climatic conditions your server will not perform to its best and will have a shortened lifespan. The server room you provide also needs an unbroken power supply, preferably with a completely separate backup source of power in case of power cuts, connections to the Internet, and security. In some cases a securely locked door may suffice but data theft can be a big problem and many data centers offer CCTV and human guards.

Hosting Conclusion
In the majority of cases a dedicated server plan offers the greatest benefits. While you receive the benefits of owning your own server you will not be faced with the same financial disadvantages that colocation and owning your own server present. You won’t need to set aside the space or resource or provide the security, and when the time comes to retire your existing server you won’t need to worry about buying a new one from the ground up. Larger organizations that already have the room and the resource set up for a server can still benefit from using a dedicated server plan instead.