What's the advantage of choosing a dedicated server?
Why choose to invest in a dedicated business server ?
A computer server is an essential part of hosting your website' data, platform and other tools necessary for your business to function properly. It is a physical equipment that allows to offer services on both Internet networks and intranet. Its main purpose is to be able to manage the demands of all users (customers and/or collaborators) simultaneously, without having to suffer from bugs, slowdowns in the loading of pages or cuts due to massive use of your site. These three problems can discourage visitors and potential customers in no time, who will soon abandon you for more reactive horizons.
How does it work? The dedicated server automatically responds to all requests made by your customers or employees 24 hours a day, thus ensuring the continuity of your service. The dedicated server has an operating system that matches the power it needs to process the data it stores or shares. Of course, the size of the dedicated server depends on the actual needs of the company. It can range from a simple case to so-called clusters of dedicated servers, which group several units in one room.
There are several types of servers. The most widely used is the shared server or the VPS which are suitable for a relatively light activity or a website whose attendance remains reasonable. As soon as the activity of your site or platform increases, this type of server will probably not be enough, and you will have to consider another solution: the dedicated server. The difference between the shared server and the dedicated server is simple. While virtual servers are shared among multiple customers, the dedicated server is totally dedicated to your business. The dedicated server is therefore a physical server, comparable to a computer, but with different functions. As all the resources of your dedicated server are reserved for you: the processor, data storage space, bandwidth and RAM, you can install all kinds of applications: business software, CRM, ERP, messaging, prestashop, and of course your website. Not only is the tool dedicated only to your needs, but you also administer the interface, usually remotely. Dedicated servers can be rented or purchased from various service providers.
The benefits of a dedicated server?
Data security on dedicated servers
This is a priority for you and your business. With the dedicated server, you limit the risk of hacking or breach of your space by unwanted visitors, since the space granted by your dedicated server is not shared between multiple customers. However, not all hosts offer the same thing. Security must be one of the essential factors to consider (with power) in choosing the host of your dedicated server It is the guarantor of your security, but also of your privacy. Often you will have the choice between several security guarantees, it is up to you to evaluate your needs.
But threats don't always come from outside, your dedicated server must also be secured from the inside. Thus, to avoid also on your side misadventures that we would do very well, some precautions are necessary:
- Limit admin access to your dedicated server to the only people who really need it.
- Change passwords to your dedicated server regularly and especially when a employee leaves the company.
- Install updates to your dedicated server systematically.
- See security protocols for data encryption and authentication, especially when exchanging information.
- Use risk detection tools and possible flaws in your dedicated server system.
- Optimized data processing: speed of execution of dedicated servers
- CSome applications are particularly resource-intensive and need a lot of storage space, which shared servers simply cannot provide. Dedicated servers have the great advantage of being able to process a lot of information in a short time, thanks to the use of powerful processors. However, not all processors are the same, so it's important to make the right choice for your needs. Your CPU (or processor) receives instructions or queries, processes them, and then executes them. The more powerful your dedicated server processor, the faster your dedicated server will be able to perform its tasks
The hosts of dedicated servers are most often equipped with multi-core (or multi-unit) and multiwire processors. These two features divide the processing load of requests and queries between multiple queries processing units, thus avoiding the cluttering of responses or worse, the paralyzing of your dedicated server's system. The speed at which the instructions are executed is measured in hertz (GHz). To make the right choice, you need to evaluate your concrete needs according to the intended use and translate them into processor performance, storage capacity, RAM and RAID memory, which will define the setting of your dedicated server. - Capacity to stokage dedicated servers
- The dedicated server storage capacity is used to keep in mind the data that allows your website to function, but also your applications, business software (CMR or ERP) or other services. Here too, the offers are multiple, and it is necessary to know your needs before making your choice among the offer of dedicated servers of the market. In most cases, you will have to choose between two types of drive: traditional hard drives (HDDs), i.e. mechanical or the solid-state drive (or SDS) with electronic operation. Be aware that the latter should quickly replace the former because they are faster, more reliable, lighter and more efficient. But also, more expensive and they offer a more limited capacity than the traditional HDD discs. Their capacity is measured in Go.
As also keep an eye on RAM capabilities, also known as RAM. It defines your dedicated server's memory-backed data capabilities simultaneously. The power of your dedicated server on the number of operations to be performed at the same time depends on ram, as does how quickly the data is loaded. In short, the higher the RAM, the faster your applications, software or other services will be executed. Live memory is also expressed in Go. - Best performance of dedicated servers
- The fact of being alone on board allows you to benefit from all the available resources of your dedicated server. You use it as you see fit and can install all the apps you need. Dedicated servers are an ideal option to install one or more large websites, which receive a large number of visitors. You won't have to worry about a possible spike in traffic, since the resources of your dedicated server will be sufficient to absorb them without hindering the navigation of your potential customers. Choosing a dedicated server allows you to tailor your hosting to your business needs and especially to the applications you have to install, even if they require significant resources or demanding programs such as e-commerce sites
- L’espionnage informatique
- Les cyber-pirates peuvent se faire très discrets afin de mieux s’introduire dans les serveurs des entreprises. Dans un contexte où le télétravail se généralise, les appareils personnels utilisés à des fins professionnelles constituent les principales cibles. Il est donc possible que les utilisateurs ne se rendent même pas compte que leurs machines sont infectées par des logiciels espions.
Les risques sont énormes dans la mesure où la souveraineté des données perd tout son sens. Les hackers s’introduisent dans le réseau et accèdent à toutes les informations dont ils ont besoin. Vos données sensibles peuvent donc être collectées et transmises à vos concurrents et/ou exploitées à mauvais escient.
Il est évident que l’espionnage informatique nuit aux organisations, entreprises et collectivités qui risquent de perdre des contrats et qui encourent des problèmes juridiques si leur nom est associé aux actes de malveillance lancées sur la base des données frauduleusement collectées. - Dedicated Servers: Better Referencing
- The choice of your host for your dedicated server will also affect the referencing of your site. Indeed, Google penalizes the time of loading pages in the natural referencing system. If it exceeds 3 seconds, you will be quickly reclassified down. And you'll also discourage more and more impatient internet users. A dedicated server is therefore a definite advantage for SEO, since its performance is optimized, as we have seen above and its data processing capabilities allow for fast and efficient page loading.
Fly know that with a dedicated server, the IP address is yours, unlike the shared servers. These can host multiple sites under the same IP address. In this case, if one of them deviates from the SEO rules by using questionable or even illegal methods to make mass referencing, search engines, especially Google, will put you in the same basket as the site at fault, since you have the same IP address. Your site could then also be considered an unreliable or worse, undesirable site, even if you are not responsible for the actions of other sites hosted on the shared server. This will inevitably have a negative impact on your own SEO. The dedicated server avoids this type of misadventure that can really penalize your activity. - Better stability thanks to dedicated servers
- Bandwidth represents the ability to transmit data from a connection across the network. It is calculated in the maximum amount of information sent to and from the dedicated server per second (Gbit/s). This is a significant factor in choosing your host your dedicated server, because while they all have efficient and consistent Internet connections, all dedicated or non-dedicated servers are generally subject to a bandwidth limit. Logically, in the case of shared servers, this limit is to be shared between different customers. If one of them exceeds its quota, the other sites will be restricted accordingly and may suffer technical problems or see their loading time increase, affecting the satisfaction of Internet users or the work of employees. In the case of dedicated servers, the question does not arise since all the bandwidth is entirely reserved for you. Always be vigilant about the bandwidth capacity offered by your dedicated server host and make sure it meets your actual needs before signing your contract.
In addition, you are not immune to being yourself at the origin of a peak in attendance. This can come from a particularly effective marketing campaign or a sudden increase related to an event, news about you or a particular period, such as chocolate sales at Christmas or Easter for example. But beware, it can also come from a malicious act on your dedicated server. Many dedicated server hosts offer solutions to adapt bandwidth to these traffic increases that are not always expected, to avoid outages or bugs on your network and to keep your dedicated server available no matter what happens.
Availability time or Uptime of dedicated servers
The Uptime measures the uninterrupted running time of a dedicated or non-dedicated server. The closer the uptime is to 100%, the more you can be assured that your potential customers or your employees will not be hindered in their browsing on your site or in the use of your business software. For example, a 99.9% uptime represents an unavailability of your site of 45 minutes per month. It's a measure that allows you to ensure the stability and consistency of your dedicated server system. There are several tools that allow you to remotely monitor the availability of your dedicated server, detect any anomalies on your network, be alerted in real time and receive regular performance reports from your dedicated server.
Changing needs
If you plan to expand your business or site in the near future, choosing a dedicated server is particularly advisable. Since you have your own space available, you don't need to worry about whether your dedicated server host will perform well enough to handle these developments and/or a possible increase in traffic. Similarly, if you decide to diversify your business and if you need a new website for example, you won't have to ask yourself the question of its hosting, your dedicated server will do just fine.
Managing a dedicated server
The dedicated servers give you a lot of freedom to act and manage your space. You are responsible and you manage your dedicated server, install your tools and optimize its security. This implies that you have the skills to do this or that you have a team with the technical expertise to maintain your dedicated server. If not, you can use an outsourced dedicated server hosting service. A dedicated outsourced server service is like leaving the technical management of your server dedicated to a professional outside your company. Its role will be to keep your dedicated server running smoothly for you, while having all its resources.
Some uses of a dedicated server
- A dedicated server for hosting websites
- This is probably the most obvious and easy-to-understand use of a dedicated server. Rented or purchased, dedicated servers are usually used primarily to host your website, to ensure its smooth running for its visitors, as well as a comfortable navigation, while guaranteeing the continuity of your activity. The more information the site receives and sends, the more users it must manage simultaneously, the more relevant the choice to go through a dedicated server.
- A dedicated server for hosting databases
- The databases collect and record all the information that will then be processed by business software or applications that are useful to your business. Dedicated servers store all the data and search for the right information when the user requests it
- A dedicated server for file sharing
- The files stored on dedicated servers are accessible to all employees and automatically register, avoiding the unexpected loss of information by mishandling, for example. Wherever your employees are, they can all access the same files simultaneously, to work together and more efficiently on your company's joint projects
- A dedicated server for sharing printers
- The dedicated servers are very useful for companies that can then avoid investing in one printer per employee. This allows you to share a more advanced printer with more features between multiple collaborators
- A dedicated server for data storage
- The data and large files are stored on the dedicated server or on storage servers in a data center. This remote storage space can be an additional security feature. But above all it makes the data available to all users, as if they were stored on their own computers.
- A dedicated server for online games and other online applications
- The gamers would also be well off to opt for a dedicated server. Online games are bandwidth hungry as they must collect and transmit information about each player's actions to others and allow interaction. In addition, the 24-hour accessibility of dedicated servers can be considered a major asset for the majority of players.
- A dedicated server for e-commerce sites
- The dedicated server will be the best response in terms of security and efficiency for online sales sites with a large catalogue of items and high traffic. Dedicated servers can adapt to the shifting flow of visitors to your site, without compromising its accessibility. The success of an e-commerce site can be summed up in three points: accessibility without disruption of activity, speed of loading of pages and security of transactions. Three points for which dedicated servers offer the best guarantees.
- A dedicated server for social networks
- From the same way as for online gaming sites, forums and community spaces will also be more stable if you use a dedicated server, which can easily compensate for an unusual spike in traffic without crashing.
Dedicated servers in a nutshell
The major strengths of dedicated servers can be summed up in terms of performance, memory, resource availability, optimized natural referencing and enterprise autonomy. In short, many assets that represent a cost or rather an investment. Dedicated servers at first glance are much more expensive than other types of hosting solutions. However, they allow you better stability, great freedom, guaranteed accessibility for your employees or customers and therefore better profitability for your business. The dedicated server could quickly become indispensable to the development of your business. There are also several options for acquiring a dedicated server: renting, buying, leasing... It's up to everyone to see what's the best option based on your project and your budget.