Global pandemic projected to begin in 2020, several companies planned to move their hosted infrastructure to a data centre location. Working remotely is becoming more popular, and businesses are trying to save money or deploy resources to meet up with the demand. Two choices that spring to mind are hosting in a physical place and hosting on a dedicated server.

Another option are cloud dedicated servers (virtual dedicated machines) and public cloud-based managed servers. Enterprises are already discussing whether to employ dedicated hosting or cloud hosting. However, for most firms, a dedicated physical server's customizability and performance are critical. What's the best option for you, Colocation Hosting or Dedicated Server Hosting?

 

Colocation Server Hosting: What Is It?

Customers may lease rack space, electricity, and bandwidth from data centres or hosting companies. The data centres that provide this service allow you to move your servers, networks, and storage devices yourself.

Routine infrastructure management may be performed by account contacts who follow certain security rules. Colocation devices may be managed without the assistance of hired people, however this may depend on the hosting company's service.

Dedicated Server Hosting: What is it?

Single-tenant hosting with dedicated hardware and resources is called "Dedicated Server Hosting." As part of Managed Dedicated Server Hosting, the provider takes care of everything from the server's setup and administration to its maintenance and support. The goal is to ensure that your data is accessible in your environment, free from the challenges that come when resources are shared.

 

Colocation Server Hosting has Several Advantages

 

Decide on Your Hardware

For one thing, you get to pick your hardware under a Colocation Server Hosting plan. Companies have unique hardware requirements for their infrastructure, whether for new or aging software. You're more likely to get what you want if you have more control over the server's components. Ensuring that all of your needs and requirements are met reduces the amount of your desired performance left to luck.

Ownership of Hardware

Using a Colocation Server Hosting service also gives you control over your hardware. Dedicated server hosting plans allow you to avoid the ongoing costs of renting hardware by allowing you to own it outright or on a long-term lease.

 

Reduce Your Spending

In addition, with dedicated server colocation, you can maintain tabs on your costs. It's vital to bear in mind that when you lease servers through hosting, you are responsible for their upkeep and maintenance. The expense of hosting a dedicated server is eliminated since you own and operate your own servers via colocation.

 

Server Colocation Has Its Drawbacks

 

Hardware Management

Managing your hardware is a drawback of Colocation Server Hosting. In case of a hardware failure, you or a team member will have to travel to the site to fix it. While the cost of replacing parts isn't prohibitive, the time spent traveling to and from the shop is. Additionally, if the hardware's life cycle is short, you may need to keep spare parts on hand in case of a breakdown.

 

Manage Your Software

In a dedicated server colocation arrangement, the software is also your responsibility. However, this can be critical if the required patches and upgrades are not completed on time in most circumstances. There may also need to update the code that runs on the operating system. You'll have to pay extra for this if you don't have an in-house development staff.

 

Dedicated Server Hosting Benefits

Colocation Hosting and Dedicated Server Hosting both have their benefits, but the dedicated server hosting option has a significant advantage.

 

Hardware Support

A huge advantage to having a dedicated server hosted by a hosting provider since they will maintain and repair your hardware. No more excursions to the data center for maintenance or stockpiling of hardware components, which saves you time and money.

 

Dedicated Server Software Support

Depending on your hosting company, server software assistance can save your team time. Liquid Web, for example, provides compatibility for most dedicated servers' operating systems and the web server stack's main components. You'll save a lot of money and time by working with a service provider that provides fundamental program support rather than doing it yourself.

 

Support Available Round-the-Clock, Year-round

Dedicated servers are typically placed in data centers that are owned and operated solely by the company that owns the data center. You don't have to worry a bit about those late-night patching and updating sessions to keep the servers working during the day with 24/7/365 assistance. Your time and money will be saved if your hosting company offers round-the-clock service.

 

Dedicated Server Hosting Drawbacks

 

To Pay More in the Long Term

The increased long-term costs of Dedicated Server Hosting are a drawback. Value-added features might lessen the pain of paying for hosting, but long-term costs must be considered.

 

There are Fewer Options for Customization

However, not all web hosts, such as Liquid Web, allow the option of customizing the server to meet your individual needs. For example, particular components, like graphics processing units (GPUs), hard disks, or CPUs, may be available to meet specific business requirements. You may be forced to choose something less than what you want to get what you need.

 

Brief Comparison of Colocation and Dedicated Server Hosting

 

When deciding between Colocation Hosting and Dedicated Server Hosting, there are a few things to keep in mind.

If you need to host a server in a colocation facility:

• In the long run, you want to save money by purchasing gear now.
• Whether you have a staff in place or can recruit one, you can handle hardware and software failures and problems.
• Your infrastructure maintenance requires you to go to and from your data center.

If any of the following situations apply, then a dedicated server is the way to go:

• The benefits of leasing or hosting your infrastructure outweigh the costs.
• At a reasonable fee, you can have the server configuration you require.

It doesn't have to be hard to decide how to hold your event. Knowing what you can and can't do without in your setup can help you get the most out of it. To understand why Colocation is beneficial for small enterprises, let's take a look at the following:

 

Colocation for Small Businesses

Which is better for small companies, dedicated servers or colocation, given that you know the advantages and disadvantages of each? According to our findings, small enterprises may reap the following advantages from colocation.

 

Many of the benefits of moving infrastructure expenditures from CapEx to OpEx that have been discussed in many books and articles apply to dedicated servers as well. You may escape the three-year hardware renewal cycle if you spread the expense of your servers out over a longer period of time. If a server fails, your service provider will provide a replacement as quickly as feasible, free of charge. As your processing and storage demands change, you don't have to worry about sunk costs. The cost of electricity and cooling is included in your monthly server bill.

Keeping track of a small company's IT staff may be a challenge since they wear so many hats. Managing and maintaining your servers may be a burden on your time and resources. You may not be able to get assistance if anything goes wrong in your colocation site. This allows you to focus on the systems and applications that will help your business grow.

Companies expecting quick growth or seasonal swings in their consumer base will find dedicated hosting to be an appropriate solution. Firms may immediately alter their infrastructure without worrying about long-term expenses to the company by simply installing more servers.

By renting dedicated servers, you may have the speed of on-premises bare metal servers while still taking use of many of the benefits of cloud computing. It is possible to focus your efforts on developing the technologies that will help you to succeed in your market niche or industry. Your infrastructure provider, on the other hand, takes care of everything else.

 

Finally, Which Choice is The Best Fit for You?

To what extent a colocated or a dedicated server is preferable in any given case cannot be determined with any degree of certainty. But in most circumstances, dedicated server hosting is the preferred option since it is more cost-effective, requires less effort, and requires less expertise in server hardware or administration.

 

The Bottom Line

The firm's needs and conditions significantly impact the type of hosting that should be used. Colocation may be the best option for a company with specific needs and personnel who possess the necessary expertise. Companies with more conventional needs may discover that outsourced dedicated server hosting offers more advantages than in-house server hosting. So, the entire decision is totally based on your needs, personal preferences, and the IT team you have in your company. Keep In mind that both options have their own set of benefits and drawbacks, and they can be beneficial on their own terms.