Dedicated server or VPS? What the difference is and which is better for you

We have written about why a business needs a VPS and what you can do with one. There is another tool worth a closer look: dedicated servers in Europe.

If you have little experience launching online projects, choosing between a VPS and a dedicated server can be a problem. In this article we will help you work the question out and decide which of the two suits your particular project.

How dedicated servers differ from virtual ones

When you rent a physical dedicated server, you get a physical machine whose capacity works for your projects alone. The service does not come cheap, which is why physical dedicated servers are used only for large projects — marketplaces, online services, startups.

A virtual server (VPS or VDS) is in effect a slice of a physical machine's capacity. Depending on how powerful it is, one physical server can run several virtual ones. They are separated in software, and every VPS user gets a guaranteed amount of computing power and disk space.

Much depends on the virtualisation technology. There are two solutions in this field:

OpenVZ. This technology delivers virtualisation at the level of a Linux-kernel operating system. It lets you run several isolated copies of the operating system (VE) on one server.

One of the main drawbacks is that an OpenVZ container cannot run an NFS server or other services that need to integrate with the kernel.

KVM. This is the technology Host4Biz VPS servers are built on. In practice you get the equivalent of a physical server: virtualisation at the hardware level. Such servers take NFS, OpenVPN or PPTP, which need full access to sockets and processes.

What are the main advantages and drawbacks of KVM virtualisation?

1. You can install your own Linux kernel.
2. There is fast access to all the iptables/tun/tap system modules.
3. You can install any operating system.
4. You can grant root access rights to manage access.
5. You can use a virtual network with parameters of your own.

Now let us work out when you need a server and which type to choose.

When do you need a server?

First, when is a server — virtual or physical — needed at all? Renting one makes sense if:

1. The site consistently gets a great many visitors. Even powerful hosting may fail to cope, and the provider will suspend the site for exceeding its resources.
2. You are building a project that will be under heavy load almost from day one: a marketplace, a server for an online game, a social network.
3. You are planning a site with a large volume of content — a group blog, a social network and so on.
4. The project needs a non-standard configuration and server setup to run reliably.
5. You need to work remotely with a complex, resource-hungry application.

If you are not sure yet whether the project will take off, start with shared hosting or WordPress hosting. You can always move the project to a server later.

Now to the strengths and weaknesses of each option.

A VPS: pros and cons

We have covered what a virtual server is; now let us see what advantages this type of server gives and what to keep in mind.

The main pluses:

1. a low price, because the physical server's resources are split between several virtual ones;
2. the option to snapshot the disk before an important change and roll the server back if something goes wrong;
3. no need to keep an eye on the physical server's hardware — the provider does that.

With all those advantages, the limits are worth remembering. The main one is that

you have to share the physical server's computing power with other clients, and there will be relatively few resources compared with a dedicated server.

That said, KVM-based VPS servers from Host4Biz guarantee that you get exactly the memory and power you paid for.

What the two options have in common

1. in both cases you get full control over the operating system and can configure it however you like.
2. There is no difference between setting up one server and the other — the only distinction is that in one case all the devices are physical and in the other virtual.
3. Clients of both services can add server administration as an extra.

The full list of specifications is available before you order the server option you have chosen.

A dedicated server: pros and cons

As we said, physical dedicated servers are the more powerful and more expensive tool for online business projects. Let us go through their advantages and drawbacks.

Pros:

1. absolute control over every server parameter, including the boot order and fine BIOS settings;
2. the highest level of security, because only the server's tenant and their technical staff have access;
3. the ability to run projects of any size on the server, with the only real limit being the machine's maximum capacity.

Cons:

1. a high price, justified only for large projects;
2. no way to add resources quickly;
3. you have to monitor the state of the hardware: disks, temperature and so on.

The best option for business projects is dedicated servers in Europe.

Conclusions

Choose between a VPS and a dedicated server on three counts:

1. Money. Work out what level of server spending is justified for you.
2. How much control you need over the server. If you have to configure everything down to the hardware parameters, a dedicated server is the better choice.
3. The memory and power available on the server. Physical dedicated servers give you more resources.

For most projects a VPS is enough. You get it configured and ready to work. Whichever you choose, Host4Biz will provide the quality of service, the support and the help you need to run your servers.