Top Dedicated Server Hosting Providers of 2024

What is Dedicated Hosting?

Dedicated hosting can be explained as a package wherein you rent a physical server residing in the data center of your prospective hosting provider. To make it simpler, a dedicated server, as the name suggests, is a server dedicated completely to your site and its requirements. The entire server’s speed and storage space is used only for your website. Unlike shared servers, you own all the resources and no other website can have access to these resources. This results in increased speed, security, and reliability.

Besides, you have full control over the control panel, applications, operating system, custom software options, and hardware configuration as well as the way you prefer to use the dedicated web host server.

Typically, dedicated hosting helps websites deliver high levels of performance especially in terms of uptime, speed, reliability, and security. Moreover, it provides clients with remarkable control over the websites. Hence, dedicated hosting is an ideal choice for websites that generate high traffic including eCommerce sites, revenue-generating businesses, gaming sites, highly interactive sites, and businesses with a huge customer base.

Why Do You Need a Dedicated Server?

It is possible to host a regular server from any device that has an internet connection, for example, an ordinary computer. But, if you happen to run a server from a computer, it will slow down. It’s because of the processing power that’s used by the server. Eventually, every time you switch off the computer, the server will shut off as well. A dedicated server is what you will need to maintain a reliable and consistent connection to the server without slowing down the device.

Though there are a few types of hosting, dedicated hosting is easily one of the best-performing hosting options. For better understanding, check out the top dedicated hosting provider’s review. You have complete control over everything and there isn’t anyone to bother you.

Dedicated servers provide you with all that you need to maintain a great website: excellent connection speed, high-level maintenance, 24×7 uptime, and extra layers of security.

In addition, dedicated servers are not built for a single purpose. Apart from hosting websites, you can use a dedicated server to host game servers or for something that needs a place for multiple devices to store/read files.

Managed and Unmanaged Dedicated Hosting – All You Need to Know

Once you have made up your mind to choose a dedicated server, the next thing on your cards is to decide on whether you need a Managed server or an Unmanaged server. To make the right choice, you should be informed about both these types of dedicated servers.

Managed hosting services

As the name implies, managed hosting is a type of dedicated hosting service wherein all the tasks of your server are carried out by the hosting provider. A few important tasks your service provider will do for you as per the agreement include:

• Unlimited ticket support
• A range of troubleshooting services to facilitate smooth server performance
• Server optimization, monitoring, installing firewall and scripts installation
• Server hardening & disaster recovery
• Software installation, upgrades, and troubleshooting

Of course, the number and type of services will differ between web hosting service providers. You should decide the aspects of server management you need and accordingly choose the provider.

If your business lacks manpower and technical expertise to fully manage your server, it is a better idea to choose managed dedicated hosting over its unmanaged counterpart. It’s true that managed dedicated hosting costs you more but it will save time and trouble for you and hence, definitely worth it.

Control Panels

Control panels are important to manage your hosting environment like scaling bandwidth requirements and gaining access to helpful website statistics. When you move to managed dedicated hosting, you can access your server’s control panel. Generally, unmanaged dedicated plans lack a control panel; however, a few plans may offer it as an add-on.

cPanel (Linux machines) and Plesk (Windows machines) are the most widely used control panels. Control panels are configured in specific ways. Based on how they are configured, they help you control your websites and files. But, the basic server maintenance is done manually. And, that is why unmanaged hosting plans are recommended for those who have the expertise to handle the server efficiently.

Customer Support

One of the greatest advantages of managed hosting is round-the-clock customer support. Reliable customer support is crucial because you never know what could go wrong with your server. And remember, when you buy a managed dedicated plan, you are not merely paying for cloud computing but also for the set of physical hardware where your web projects are stored. Hence, if anything goes wrong with the server, you cannot shift the data to another server like in cloud hosting. Therefore, you need immediate technical support in such cases of server failure. Only a managed hosting plan will offer you the help and support you need at any time via preferred channels including live chat, phone, or email.

Unmanaged hosting services

Well, the name says it all – Unmanaged! When you pick unmanaged hosting, as a client, you will have to manage all the aspects of your dedicated server. If the server is doing well, it’s good for you and you take the credit. If something goes wrong, you are solely responsible for fixing it. In general, it’s you who has to deal with all the server problems and find solutions. Your hosting service provider will not help you sort out the problem. It’s as simple as that.

As far as unmanaged hosting is concerned, all that your dedicated hosting provider would do for you is install the server, get you online and offer you an IP address. That’s all. No strings attached after this point. Now, the server is all yours and your responsibility. You have to deal with installing your preferred operating system, supporting applications and software, server configuration, control panels, and firewall installation besides troubleshooting various other possible problems that might crop up during the process of installation.

Of course, you can choose an unmanaged hosting service if you have complete knowledge about handling the server or you have a technical team for your business.

Which is right for you? Managed or Unmanaged dedicated host?

If you demand full control over your server and you have the required expertise to manage the server to bring about optimal performance, security, and reliability, unmanaged server plans are ideal for you.

On the other hand, if you would like your dedicated server hosting company to take care of the routine tasks linked with server management as well as the complex tasks including installing DNS hosting, opt for managed server hosting.

What are the key benefits of a Dedicated Server?

A dedicated server provides you with much-needed power and scalability. With specialized features and applications, a dedicated server has a lot to offer for the smooth functioning and success of your business.

1. Exclusive use of server resources

As mentioned earlier, when you have a dedicated server, the entire web server is meant for your exclusive use. You don’t have to share it with anyone. This is a great advantage of dedicated hosting over shared hosting.

The web server’s RAM, disk space, bandwidth, and so on belong only to you. You can use all of the RAM or CPU and bandwidth.

There will be times when your business will be at its peak. At that time, your web server is also expected to deliver its peak performance. With a dedicated server, you can rest assured of the optimal performance of the server because you have the required root access and control to the server. This helps you add any software, configure the settings, and gain access to the server logs as and when needed. Root access is the greatest benefit of dedicated servers.

What’s more, you are free to run your applications and/or implement the server security measures you prefer. In addition, you can choose to use a different OS from your dedicated hosting provider. On the whole, you take the driver’s seat. You can drive the website in a scalable, flexible, and responsive manner with a dedicated server.

1. Flexible Operations

A dedicated web server is capable of accommodating your growing business needs. If you have a dedicated server, the server configuration is your choice. Depending on the demands of your business, you can choose to add or modify the existing applications and services. When new opportunities are knocking at your door or when unexpected market trends come to play, you will remain more flexible.

A dedicated server leverages the scalability to customize your needs. Whether it is processing, storage, or backup, you always get more with this platform.

Today, businesses are required to fulfill the higher expectations of consumers. Only if they gain quick access to your services and products, you will get business. A dedicated server fulfills this demand by serving your customers with quick page loading and offering them a better user experience.

1. Enhanced performance and reliability 

A dedicated server offers you peak performance coupled with reliability. When a server is said to be reliable, server crashes are less likely to happen. When there are spikes in website traffic, your website will make use of the extra resources provided by your dedicated server. Moreover, you get the required bandwidth to support the image and video displays of your front end.

Dedicated web hosting is a powerful solution for your business as you can enjoy high bandwidth, power, and storage to host your website/business.

A dedicated server gives you the grip you need on your web server, with complete control as well as technical assistance advantages.

Many dedicated server hosting companies help you sort out problems with watchful technicians. And, with managed hosting, there is always someone available at your server end to attend to your problems.

1. Excellent Security 

Only you or your company can access your dedicated web server. This exclusivity itself means your data is safe and secure. A dedicated server infrastructure encompasses firewalls & security monitoring. What does this mean?

You benefit from greater security against hackers and malware. Your dedicated server host’s consistent network monitoring, strict access controls, and secure firewalls help you focus on your core business.

In addition, if there are any backend exploits, data separation ascertains quick recovery. This is because data separation detaches your dedicated web server from the data of other customers and your hosting company’s services.

Moreover, you can consider upgrading the levels of security by installing relevant applications (that include new layers of access control and security) to run on your dedicated server.

Thus, dedicated servers offer excellent security options to protect the data of your business and your customers, through data separation.

What are the possible drawbacks of dedicated web hosting?

Everyone wants to buy the best in the industry and there is nothing wrong with that. But, dedicated servers are not everyone’s cup of tea because of a few factors including:

• Those who lack technical expertise might find it difficult to set up a dedicated server
• The plans are comparatively costlier
• You may need an expert for complex maintenance
• Since dedicated servers are not located locally, it can become hard to manage at times of crisis

How to pick the right Dedicated Server Plan for your needs?

The first and foremost thing to do when choosing the ideal hosting plan is, you should understand your needs and what exactly you will be using it for. Say, for example, a simple blog requires a completely different set of resources compared to a flourishing online store.

Well, a few obvious reasons to go for a dedicated web hosting plan include:

• You need a high-traffic website
• Your business requires high levels of security
• You are looking forward to exponential business growth somewhere shortly
• You have plans to use numerous custom features such as HD images or streaming videos

Once you have decided about having a dedicated server, you must start looking for the right hosting plan. We have some factors listed for you that you should consider during this process.

Do you require a powerful processor? Generally, if you are planning to add features like video transcoding and custom applications, your site will need more resources and hence, the processor should be extremely powerful.

Do you need the advantage of speed? Only if you have a large amount of memory, you can get the maximum output from your website. In other words, if there is more RAM, your site will load faster. And, of course, speed is never a bad thing.

What is your expected bandwidth? If you have plans to use streaming multimedia files or HD pictures or if you expect high traffic regularly, you will need a hosting plan that offers more bandwidth.

Are you in need of a specific operating system? A lot of website owners don’t mind using any operating system. But, if you strongly prefer either Linux or Windows, remember that each one demands a different operating system. In that case, you will have to choose a plan that offers your preferred operating system. For instance, if you plan to host MS SQL, MS IIS, or ASP.NET, you will require a Windows dedicated server. In the same way, if you intend to use platforms that run on Linux, then you will need a Linux dedicated server. So, you will have to choose to host plans accordingly.

What you have to remember is that the more resources you have, the more powerful and flexible your business will become.

Whatever your needs are, discuss with the prospective dedicated server hosting companies and choose the right dedicated hosting plan that best fits your plan and preferences.

RAID Storage to Prevent Data Loss

If you are looking forward to boosting server performance or safeguard your business against the financial pain due to data loss, dedicated servers have an excellent solution for you – RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks).

RAID offers reliability and capacity along with increasing performance and data redundancy by utilizing a set of physical hard disks combined into one logical disk. These disks are meant for storing and accessing data. The good news is, a lot of reliable dedicated servers include RAID storage.

Remember: RAID is not a form of backup. While RAID safeguards your data against malfunction of one / more disks and boosts your uptime, it doesn’t qualify as a regular backup. If you have an idea of using RAID on your dedicated server, consider the following:

· RAID is part of your web server; it is not “offsite”.

· It is not possible to restore deleted or old data using RAID.

· Regular monitoring is required for RAID because often disk failures go unnoticed.

RAID is of different types. Your hosting provider will explain to you the different kinds and which RAID configuration will best suit your data protection needs.

What to Consider When Choosing Dedicated Server Providers?

Choosing one host from a list of top dedicated server providers is equally challenging as picking the right dedicated server. Before signing an agreement with them, ensure their services fulfill your requirements. A few important factors to consider include:

Guaranteed uptime

Well, a highly stable server is what will provide you with the best in terms of accessibility, performance, and usability. Choose a service provider that provides guaranteed uptime of a minimum of 99.5% to reduce the possibilities of costly outages.

Customization

Find out if your prospective hosting provider offers Linux as well as Windows options and if they will allocate the disk space you need. Be specific about your needs because there are providers who boast about themselves as offering “dedicated” servers, however, restrict customization options. Discuss the features, applications, and software you need for your website and ensure the provider offers those services.

Security

Of course, dedicated servers are a lot safer compared to other hosting options, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your site is completely hack-proof. Find a service that gives you extra layers of security with a range of built-in security features.

Excellent customer support

You need a dedicated server hosting provider that gives you 24×7 customer support with a range of contact points including email, telephone, and live chat. Check if the host has expert technicians with them who will be available for help round the clock. Make sure their response times are fast because every minute your server is down, your competitor may get your business.

In a nutshell, choose a top dedicated server provider that guarantees uptime, more storage, and better performance and is provided with sophisticated data centers and an expert server hosting team so that your site enjoys more reliability, flexibility, and scalability. Only if you pick the right service for you, you can rest assured that your site is consistently up and running, thereby enhancing customer experience.

Pick the right dedicated hosting provider to strengthen your online presence

Read our dedicated server hosting reviews to choose the best dedicated hosting service provider to host your business. When rating and reviewing the main players on the market, our expert team focused on various significant aspects including features included with their plans, uptime & speed performance, customer support experience, and pricing structure.