If you want to run an e-commerce business where you have to host your content on a dedicated server, then you would most definitely need to get your hands on a dedicated server. For businesses that put up services on their websites and operate through the same, having a dedicated server is of utmost importance. It should be stated that a server remains one of the most important components of any business, especially one within the e-commerce niche. That is why the choice of a server is very delicate.
Today we would be considering which server is better for an e-commerce business. There are two kinds of servers to look at here, each one with its features and strong points. The first is the virtual private server (VPS), while the other is a dedicated server. In this article, we would be considering these two types of servers and choosing which better suites an e-commerce business. So prepare to make your decision.
The VPS
VPS is an acronym for a virtual private server. The VPS is a virtual server offered for Internet hosting services. It runs on its own unique operating system which the service provider offers to the user who can then install the applications he desires on the operating system. VPS is a popular choice among small e-commerce businesses. This is because VPS usually presents a cheaper cost of operation.
Any e-commerce business which makes use of a VPS shares server facilities with other users. Hence, they collectively bear the responsibility of running it. The VPS server may be shared, but it also gives the sense of using a personal server. Each user is assigned a compartment that offers specific disk space, an operating system, and bandwidth. Each user gets some sort of autonomy over his own space and does with it what he likes. Below are the benefits of running an e-commerce business on a virtual private server (VPS):
- custom functions;
You get to choose what functionalities you want and pay for just what you want
- security;
Since VPS offers root access, you have control over security
- better performance;
Due to the fact that VPS resources are singularly used, there is better performance and speed.
- flexibility;
You can always upgrade or downgrade your VPS functionality depending on what your business needs at the time.
While the advantages of the VPS abound, it too has its own downsides:
- The VPS is actually shared between different people
- There might be moments when it’s impossible to get an upgrade because resources might be unavailable.
The Dedicated server
The Dedicated server as the name implies is dedicated to a single user. In this setup, all the available resources for the server are allocated to a singular user. This makes it a more expensive option since one user gets to bear its cost. It is also a very suitable option for e-commerce businesses because of the variance in traffic involved with e-commerce businesses. A lot of individuals tend to visit e-commerce sites for various reasons, and the server should be able to cater to a large traffic inflow. Below are the benefits of running on a dedicated server:
- Complete Autonomy
The user has complete ownership of all resources available on the dedicated server
- Personal Customization
The user can customize the dedicated server to run, however, he likes. He can use the apps he desires, and run the dedicated server without any kind of restrictions
- Optimum resources.
The user has access to all the resources available on the dedicated server. So he has the needed resources to handle any need.
- Better security
Since the server is not shared, security is better and stronger on dedicated servers
- Versatility
The dedicated server is compatible with different languages and can run different kinds of software.
The downside of the dedicated server includes:
- Expenses
The dedicated server is more expensive to purchase and is also expensive to maintain. If you purchase an unmanaged plan, then you would need to acquire the services of a technical expert.
- Maintenance
Dedicated servers can be more stressful to handle and can be more difficult to fix
The winner here though would be the dedicated server as it is the right choice for an e-commerce business. The VPS could serve smaller businesses but for something of a larger scale, the dedicated server would fare better.