Cloud or dedicated?
The answer to this is not always straightforward and isn’t helped by the amount of conflicting information on the internet.
A good starting point is to firstly understand the differences between a cloud server and a dedicated server.
Cloud Server
Cloud servers are created using virtualization software to divide a physical server into multiple virtual servers.
Not to be confused with a Virtual Private Server (VPS) which have a single point of failure, Cloud servers have inbuilt hardware redundancy, whereby if the physical hardware running the server develops a fault, the data on the virtualised environment is automatically transferred to new hardware.
Dedicated Server
Often known as a bare metal server, a dedicated server is a single physical server that is not shared or used by anyone else.
For this reason, dedicated servers tend to be used by individuals or organisations that require exceptionally high levels of data security.
Cloud Servers Vs Dedicated Servers
Should I choose cloud or dedicated?
Whether you choose a cloud server or a dedicated server, will depend entirely on your use case.
At Clook, we strongly advise clients to think not just about their server requirements as they stand today but moving forwards as well. The internet doesn’t stand still and nor do the vast majority of businesses, whose web traffic can be affected by seasonal trade or marketing campaigns.
In order to meet these future requirements, the ability to scale resource on a server isn’t a nice to have, it’s a necessity. It’s for this single reason that we typically advise clients to opt for a cloud server.
Sure scaling up on a dedicated server is possible, you can increase RAM, CPU and hard disk space but this often involves downtime and cost. Resources on a cloud platform can be scaled up and importantly down at the flick of a switch.
It’s this inbuilt flexibility which makes a cloud server perfect for businesses of all shapes and sizes, who want to future proof their server requirements.
The added advantage to this flexibility is cost-effectiveness. When traffic is low, resource can be removed which would reduce server spend. As traffic increases (hopefully revenue does as well) resources can be increased in line with this.
Still not sure?
If you are still unsure whether a dedicated server or cloud server is more appropriate for your site or application, we would be delighted to have a discussion with you.
There is no charge for our advice, nor are you under any obligation to purchase our services.
Speak to one of our experts on 03300 885 250.
Did you know…
At Clook, we specialise in Managed Cloud Servers and Managed Dedicated Servers.
– We monitor over 40 services 24x7x365
– Our experienced UK staff are on hand to help via phone, email or chat 24x7x365
– All servers are based in the UK, in ISO accredited data centres.
