Dedicated or cloud server
When launching a new project, there is often a choice: a dedicated server or the cloud (virtual server). On the internet, there is a lot of debate about which is better: VPS or a dedicated server. Various arguments are presented, but no definitive answer is reached. Let’s understand the differences between a virtual server and a dedicated server, so we can determine which is best suited for your needs.
Dedicated Server
Let’s start with a dedicated server. Hosting a project on a dedicated server (DS) gives you maximum capabilities. You are provided with a separate machine with all its resources and features. All computing power, all ports, and all configurations are at your disposal. You have full control over it:
- power it on, reboot, and shut it down;
- set the configurations you need;
- manage ports and peripheral devices;
- install and remove software, and much more.
Great! Perfect! But are there any downsides? Of course. The disadvantages of this solution naturally follow from its advantages. The first and main drawback is the price. Everything good in this world comes at a cost, and a dedicated server is no exception. Purchasing a dedicated server is not cheap, and in small projects most of the available power will simply remain unused. As a result, for such projects a dedicated server will not pay off and is not really necessary. In addition, a dedicated server is very difficult to scale up or down for specific tasks since it is a single physical device.
Virtual Private Server (VPS)
A virtual server (not to be confused with virtual hosting) is a service that provides fixed computing resources in the cloud for deploying a virtual machine. In this case, you share the server with other users, but unlike shared hosting, where server resources are distributed randomly among clients, you are allocated fixed computing resources.
So how does a VPS differ from a dedicated server? From a usage perspective — only in the allocated resources. Otherwise, a cloud server provides the same capabilities as a dedicated server: software installation and configuration, port settings, and hardware emulation. How is this achieved? It is made possible by modern virtualization technologies.
Today there are two virtualization technologies — VirtualBox and VMware.
VirtualBox is an open-source project. This solution is free but has certain limitations, for example, a video memory limit for a virtual machine of 256 MB, which is very low by today’s standards.
VMware, used in the XServer service, is a commercial technology. Its main advantages include:
- Automatic system installation from a template. You just select an installation template, specify the required distribution, go have a coffee, and end up with a ready-to-use system.
- The ability to configure virtual hardware in detail, right down to the CPU ID.
- When using multiple virtual machines, easy automatic network configuration between them.
- The ability to quickly clone a previously built machine.
So, what is a dedicated server and what is a cloud server? A dedicated server is a physical server fully allocated to you, to which you have complete access. A virtual server (VPS) is the allocation of computing resources on a shared server for deploying a virtual machine.
Why is a Virtual Server often better than a Dedicated Server? The Difference Between VPS and Dedicated
A virtual server allows you to avoid overpaying for unused computing power while providing the same capabilities as a dedicated server. A VPS using VMware virtualization technology is easy to configure and allows you to quickly clone an already created configuration. Also, using a virtual server makes it easy to scale computing resources when additional performance is required.
Thus, a cloud server is ideal for most tasks that do not require large amounts of computing power and resources. Moreover, if necessary, resources can be easily added or removed. Therefore, a virtual server using modern virtualization technologies is often a more cost-effective solution than a dedicated server.