How a Dedicated Server Differs from a VPS

 Both, dedicated servers and VPS, deliver dedicated server resources. That is where the similarities between these two begin and end, as both these types of web servers differ entirely from each other in the way these host the sites. Before elaborating on it, let us talk about web servers and what do web servers do. That is because VPS and dedicated servers are both different types of web servers.

What is a Web Server?

A web server, which is a type of a server, stores and processes the files of website/websites on it. These files contain the content of websites, such as their images, videos, fonts, etc. In order for a site to be accessible online, its files need to be hosted on the web server of some web hosting company. This service is made available through web hosting. In web hosting, server space is provided to website owners for storing their files. The service of web hosting also ensures that all the necessary technologies and services are available that are needed to keep websites accessible seamlessly.

The content of websites that are stored on web servers are directly accessible to the browsers of the Internet connected devices of website visitors. These browsers send request for website content to the web servers. The servers, regardless of their type (Dedicated or VPS or shared), respond to the incoming request of the browsers with regard to the hosted files of websites. Once the requested files are located on the server, these are sent to the browser which had generated the request for the same. Upon receiving the files on the device of the user on which he or she is browsing the Internet, the website content that he or she is looking for, becomes accessible.

Web servers essentially store, process and deliver web content. Web servers can be of many types, such as shared, dedicated, VPS, etc. For our topic, we will focus on providing information on dedicated servers and VPS and how these two differ from each other. First let us touch on dedicated servers and VPS individually.

Dedicated Server

A dedicated server refers to a server that caters to a single site. It can be a Linux Dedicated Server or a Windows Dedicated Server. In such a server, the entire sever space and all the server resources are meant for the exclusive use of a single site that is hosted on such a server. This boosts site performance as well as enhances significantly the speed and security of the site that is hosted on a dedicated server.

The reason dedicated servers are availed is the strict need for fast speed, increased security, flexibility for customization, and for augmenting site performance by utilizing the full resources of the server. Moreover, it provides the flexibility to customize the server as the entire server is being used by a single entity and serves its requirements exclusively. That is why it is usually opted for, by enterprises, online stores, applications that are business critical, and those websites that receive a lot of traffic.

Usually dedicated servers are known to be more expensive than shared servers but when dedicated servers are availed from HTS Hosting, then you can avail these at highly discounted prices. Despite the low prices of our dedicated servers, which are provided through various plans; these are configured to deliver a perpetually high quality of service, high uptime, powerful security, unrivalled speed and a hoard of features. Our globally sought-after dedicated servers are often referred to as the Best Linux Dedicated Servers as well as the Best Windows Dedicated Servers, owing to the top-class performance that these deliver at prices that are very affordable.

VPS

A VPS is a Virtual Private Server. It can be either a Managed VPS, the management and maintenance of which is taken care of by the service provider, or it can be a Self-managed VPS. In a Self-managed VPS, it is the VPS user’s responsibility to manage the server and the service provider only provides the server but isn’t responsible for its management.

What is a Virtual Private Server and how does it work? A virtual private server also provides dedicated resources to its users but the way it does so is different from that of a dedicated server. What is the exact difference will be discussed in the next section. For now, let us understand how a Virtual Private Server is able to provide dedicated server resources to its users without actually being a dedicated server.

The advancement of technology has made many things possible. One of which is ensuring that the environment of a dedicated server gets emulated in the shared server space of a physical server in a VPS. It is attained through the use of Virtualization Technology. With the aid of this technology, a single physical server can be partitioned into multiple servers. Each of these multiple, separate servers functions as an independent server that is virtual and private. Despite existing on the same server, the files of the hosted sites remain separated from those of the others, which makes a VPS a truly private server. In a Virtual Private Server, each user of the web server can install his own software and operating system. This is because the files of users remain separated from each other on the OS level.

A Virtual Private Server provides the perfect solution to those that need dedicated server resources but do not want to avail an entire server, as is the case in dedicated servers. Often this is because of the price of a dedicated server, which is usually higher than that of availing a VPS.  A VPS caters perfectly to this requirement of providing dedicated resources at prices that are not as exorbitant as that of dedicated servers. That is because at the end of the day, a VPS offers shared server space. But this shared server space comes along with the benefit of having dedicated server resources, as all the multiple, separate servers on the same physical server function as virtual private servers in a VPS.

HTS Hosting, provides fast and fully secure Linux Manged VPS, Linux Self-managed VPS, Windows managed VPS as well as Windows Self-managed VPS, through its wide range of plans that are priced very low but offer the most powerful performance, along with excellent customer care service 24*7.

Difference in Functioning

As mentioned previously, both the Virtual Private Servers and the dedicated servers, are capable of providing dedicated server resources. However, both these web servers differ in the way in which that is attained.

A dedicated server offers its dedicated resources to a single host (site) that is hosted on it. There isn’t any shared environment it. It is a physical server that is availed by a client to host his files on it. Hence, the entire server and its resources cater to a single client’s hosting requirements. Multiple users do not share server space on a dedicated server.

In a Virtual Private Server, multiple users share server space on a single physical server but each of them gets dedicated server resources and functions as an independent server with its own software and operating system. It can be explained in a simple way, as multiple dedicated servers which are virtual and exist in a shared server environment. In this way, a Virtual Private Server offers a comparatively affordable alternative to a dedicated server by offering dedicated server resources, speed and enhanced security at much lesser prices.

Source: https://www.htshosting.org/knowledge-base/server/282/how-a-dedicated-server-differs-from-a-vps