When it comes to expanding your business, a reliable server becomes a necessity. The hosting model you use can have a significant effect on your business sustainability.
Dealing with significant website traffic, increasing processing power are some of the things servers help you with. So are you planning to switch from shared hosting services to have your server? If yes, then you might be confused about whether to buy or rent one.
There’s no straightforward answer as to which one is better. The best model depends on your business type and needs. This article explains in detail the pros and cons of rented and bought dedicated servers. Go on reading!
What is buying a server?
Buying a server means you will be purchasing the hardware. You will be dealing on your own with components like motherboards, CPUs, hard drives, RAM, etc.
The whole setup is placed in your personal space. You need to be an expert with hardware if you’re buying a server. Safety is a concern as well. Consider a good operator console enclosure for the smooth running of server hardware.
What is renting a server?
Renting is a model wherein a server rental company gives you a specific server unit on lease. The time duration can be based according to the agreement you make. Though the hardware isn’t yours, you still have full remote access to it.
Renting vs. Buying a Dedicated Server: 6 Factors to Consider
- Customizability
When you choose to buy a dedicated server, you can customize it according to your need specificities. There’s a range of possibilities to integrate your high-quality components to make your best-fit server. You can:
- Adjust your storage
- Install any operating system of your choice
- Use as much amount of RAM as you need
- Have any bandwidth according to your requirements.
With rented servers, customization can be an issue. The rental companies generally work on the ‘one size fits all’ principle. It can be hard to find flexibility with operating systems, partitioning hard drive spaces, and other things.
You might choose the best one on the go, but later you might need better. So, with server rental companies, it is essential to note how much flexibility they provide.
- Maintenance
A server set up in your personal space requires maintenance. Server units consume a lot of energy to process. They need an efficient cooling system. If you encounter a fault, you’ll have to fix it quickly.
You should know how to maintain various components of your server. Not that dedicated servers run into faults often, but downtimes can be longer if you aren’t an expert already.
When you opt for rented servers, maintenance issues are off your shoulders. Rented servers decrease the level of skills one is required to have. In times of failure, it is the company’s responsibility to get it back working again. Power failure won’t be a problem either.
3. Control
As far as control of data and system is considered, rented and bought dedicated servers are more or less the same. Both of them give great control, and there is no sharing with anyone, unlike shared hosting. With rented dedicated servers, it is better to choose a provider within proximity to your current location.
- Reliability
Your server needs to function all the time to make your website available 24/7 to your consumers. Within a domestic setting, it requires a significant investment to backup in case of a black out.
Given that data centers of companies have good power backups, the downtime won’t belong. You don’t have to spend extra on finding power alternatives. Everything will be taken care of by the data center.
Also, server rental companies usually keep themselves updated with the latest technology. They know better when it comes to processors and the newest equipment. You don’t run the risk of your expensive hardware getting outdated.
- Security
Since a server contains critical data, you must ensure security. Of course, dedicated servers are better than shared servers, wherein you might share space with a spam website. This is not only a threat to security but can also lower your website ranking.
With an in-home dedicated server, you have total control and access in terms of technology. Still, you can’t guarantee physical damage like a fire outbreak. Good rental server companies professionally protect the data and monitor it from time to time.
- Cost
Having discussed all parameters, which one is to be considered more cost-effective? Again, the answer depends on your business model. Buying a dedicated server can cost around $3000 while renting can make you pay a monthly rent of about $600. These may vary depending upon facilities and usage.
In-home dedicated server
- In an in-home dedicated server, the cost you need to pay is your electricity bills.
- One should note that domestic electricity generally comes at a higher cost than industrial electricity.
- There is no recurring cost.
- Additionally, the maintenance and regular updates of your system require a considerable investment.
Rented dedicated server
- You need to pay no maintenance cost. Also, you save on the staff, which you might require to assist with your server.
- No upfront costs are needed. You only pay for what you use.
- No cost is required to update your existing components.
- You have to pay monthly or as per the agreement.
Final thoughts
Before you confuse yourself, here are our suggestions:
- For a business that has outgrown the need for shared servers but still doesn’t have enough capital to buy a server, a rented server is a better choice.
- If you’re sure you’d need a dedicated server for the long term, then you should buy a server. Paying timely rent will cost you more in the long run.
- If your business idea is new and you only want to test a concept, then a rented server is for you.