Dedicated hosting service

A dedicated hosting service, dedicated server, or managed hosting service is a type of Internet hosting in which a client leases the exclusive use of an entire physical server, rather than sharing its resources with other customers. Compared with shared hosting, dedicated hosting provides greater flexibility because the customer has full control over the server, including the choice of operating system, hardware configuration, and software.

There is also another level of dedicated or managed hosting commonly referred to as complex managed hosting. Complex managed hosting applies to both physical dedicated servers, hybrid server and virtual servers, with many companies choosing a hybrid (combination of physical and virtual) hosting solution.

There are many similarities between standard and complex managed hosting but the key difference is the level of administrative and engineering support that the customer pays for – owing to both the increased size and complexity of the infrastructure deployment. The provider steps in to take over most of the management, including security, memory, storage and IT support. The service is primarily proactive in nature.

Server administration can usually be provided by the hosting company as an add-on service. In some cases a dedicated server can offer less overhead and a larger return on investment. Dedicated servers are hosted in data centers, often providing redundant power sources and HVAC systems. In contrast to colocation, the server hardware is owned by the provider and in some cases they will provide support for operating systems or applications.

Dedicated hosting typically provides higher performance, greater security, increased reliability, and greater administrative control than shared hosting. Because of its higher cost, it is most commonly used for websites and applications with high traffic volumes or specialized performance and security requirements.