Table of contents

What is dedicated server hosting? Benefits Server specs Popular use cases Dedicated vs VPS vs cloud hosting Managed vs unmanaged FAQs Next steps Additional resources

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What is dedicated server hosting? Expert guide to performance & control

Dedicated server hosting is a web hosting service where you rent an entire physical server exclusively for your use. You get full access to all server resources including CPU, RAM, and bandwidth. Unlike shared hosting, there’s no resource sharing with other users.

Dedicated server hosting gives you full access to the hardware, with no sharing, no throttling, and no noisy neighbors. If you need top-tier performance, security, and customization, a dedicated server is the gold standard.

Let’s walk through what dedicated servers are, how they work, who needs them, and how they compare to other types of hosting.

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What is dedicated server hosting?

Dedicated server hosting means your site or application runs on a physical server that’s reserved for your use only. The server’s CPU, RAM, and storage belong exclusively to you.

Server hosting is an IT service that provides remote access to servers and computing resources. Hosting providers maintain the physical infrastructure, network connectivity, and server hardware, making websites and applications accessible on the internet. Server hosting eliminates the need for businesses to purchase and maintain their own server equipment.

Key benefits of dedicated hosting

A dedicated server provides top-tier performance and control for demanding websites and applications.

Businesses need hosting servers to ensure their websites remain live, accessible, and capable of handling visitor traffic 24/7. Without server hosting, websites cannot be accessed on the internet, as they require server infrastructure to store files and process user requests.

Here are the main advantages:

Exclusive resources for maximum performance. The entire server’s CPU, memory, and bandwidth are dedicated to your site or app. This ensures fast load times and consistent reliability, even during traffic surges.
Enhanced security and isolation. No other users share the server, reducing risks of cross-site attacks, data leaks, and vulnerabilities common in shared environments.
Full customization and control. You can select the operating system, install required software, configure security settings, and optimize performance to match your application’s needs.
Better compliance support. Dedicated servers provide the infrastructure and isolation needed for regulations like HIPAA and PCI-DSS. This makes it easier to meet strict data security standards.
Flexible scalability. As your business grows, you can add RAM, storage, or even GPUs to the same server without migrating to a new environment.

Server specs and customization options

Dedicated servers can be fully customized to fit your workload. Common configuration options include:

Processors: Intel Xeon, AMD EPYC, or custom CPU types
RAM: From 32GB to 512GB or more
Storage: NVMe SSDs, traditional HDDs, or hybrid configurations
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) setups: RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, and other levels
Operating systems: Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, AlmaLinux) or Windows Server
Control panels: cPanel, Plesk, InterWorx, or none (for CLI-only setups)

You can also deploy dedicated servers with GPU acceleration or without, depending on whether your workload includes high-performance computing (HPC), AI/ML, or graphics rendering.

Popular use cases for dedicated servers

Dedicated servers are ideal for workloads that demand consistent performance, robust security, or complete control over the environment.

Ecommerce websites

Online stores often rely on dedicated servers for their ability to handle heavy traffic, large product databases, and payment processing. PCI compliance and fast page loads are easier to achieve on dedicated infrastructure.

High-traffic websites and apps

Large publishing platforms, video streaming services, and viral media apps benefit from the raw horsepower of a dedicated server, avoiding slowdowns that can happen with shared resources.

Game servers

Game server hosting requires dedicated resources, low-latency hardware, and dedicated CPU cycles that only a bare metal server can provide for optimal performance.

AI/ML workloads

Training and running machine learning models, especially on large datasets, often calls for GPU-equipped dedicated servers with high memory capacity and optimized compute power.

Big data processing

Data analytics tools like Apache Spark or Hadoop need consistent throughput and fast disk access. A dedicated server can be tuned specifically for your data processing architecture.

Reseller or multi-client hosting

Agencies, developers, and hosting resellers use dedicated servers to host multiple client sites under isolated environments, offering better security and resource allocation.

Dedicated vs VPS vs cloud hosting

If you’re deciding between dedicated, VPS, or cloud hosting, the choice comes down to performance needs, budget, and flexibility. Here’s how they compare:

Feature	Shared Hosting	VPS Hosting	Dedicated Server
Server ownership	Shared with others	Shared (virtualized environment)	Fully dedicated physical server
Performance	Limited	Moderate	Highest
CPU allocation	Shared single-core access	1–8 virtual cores	4–64 physical cores
RAM	2–8 GB (shared)	4–32 GB (virtualized)	16–512 GB (dedicated)
Storage type	HDD or basic SSD	SSD or NVMe (shared)	SSD, NVMe, or hybrid RAID arrays
Storage capacity	10–100 GB	50–500 GB	500 GB–4 TB or more
Network speed	Up to 100 Mbps (shared)	100 Mbps – 1 Gbps (shared)	1–10 Gbps (dedicated)
Customization	Very limited	Some customization	Full control over hardware and software
Security	Basic	Better isolation	Maximum isolation and security controls
Price range	$2–$15/month	$20–$100/month	$100–$500+/month
Best for	Small sites, blogs	Growing businesses, dev/test sites	High-traffic, resource-intensive projects

Managed vs unmanaged dedicated servers

You can choose between a managed or unmanaged dedicated server, depending on your technical skill and workload requirements.

Managed servers:

Hosting provider handles OS updates, server monitoring, security hardening, and basic troubleshooting
Best for businesses without in-house sysadmins

Unmanaged servers:

You’re responsible for all configuration, security, software installation, and updates
Ideal for advanced users and DevOps teams who want full control

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Dedicated servers are used for hosting high-performance websites, large databases, game servers, machine learning models, and private cloud platforms. They’re best when you need total control and consistent performance.

Dedicated server hosting provides superior performance compared to VPS hosting when you need guaranteed resources. It can also be a better alternative, if performance, customization, or security are top priorities. VPS hosting is more affordable, but you’re still sharing a host system with other users.

They’re essentially the same. “Bare metal” emphasizes that you’re getting raw, physical hardware—not a virtual machine. Some providers use the term to signal zero virtualization.

Absolutely. With root access (Linux) or Administrator access (Windows), you can install anything that’s compatible with your OS and server specs.

Some providers offer same-day or even 2-hour provisioning, depending on inventory. Custom builds may take longer.

Getting started with dedicated server hosting

Dedicated hosting offers unmatched control, performance, and flexibility. Whether you’re running a high-traffic ecommerce site or launching your own cloud infrastructure, it’s the best option when you want raw power and full control.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a dedicated server—or upgrade your server hosting—Liquid Web can help. Our dedicated server hosting options have been leading the industry for decades, because they’re fast, secure, and completely reliable. Choose your favorite OS and the management tier that works best for you.

Click below to explore dedicated server options or start a chat with one of our experts to learn more.

Dedicated servers

Dedicated or bare metal servers with 99.999% uptime and rich security features, built to spec.

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VPS hosting

Get the fastest, most reliable virtual private servers on the market, and the level of management that you need.

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Additional resources

Bare metal cloud or dedicated servers? →

Differences, use cases, and how to choose the best server hosting solution for you

What is a VPS?→

A complete beginner’s guide to virtual private servers, benefits and challenges, use cases, and more

VPS vs dedicated servers →

Similarities and differences, advantages and challenges, so you can decide what you need

Server hosting FAQs

Managed server hosting is a service in which the hosting provider is responsible for maintaining routine operating system updates, additional software updates, and other server-level management and configuration tasks. In addition to this, security patching and other account-level functions that are essential for the server’s minimum performance needs and use should be addressed.

Learn more about managed vs. unmanaged server hosting →

Changing servers is called a server migration, and it definitely requires some technical expertise. You’ll need to:

Prepare your new server: Make sure your new server is sized and configured for the incoming data and digital assets, and that critical services and packages that your sites depend on are ready to go, in the new environment.
Assess data fidelity: Note which parts of your site are critical and which engage with other services. For example, plugins or themes that affect multiple pages should be audited before and after the migration to ensure functionality.
Data transfer: This is typically the biggest part of the migration. The bandwidth available between your old server and the new server (or between your old hosting provider and your new hosting provider) determines how fast you can move data and how much downtime there will be.
Test (QA/QC): Plan ahead and leave plenty of time for this process. Rigorous testing is how you identify unanticipated problems, audit the quality of issue resolution strategies, and confirm how running internal systems in the new environment will look.
Change DNS and launch: Pointing your server at a new DNS is a simple, straightforward process. Make your DNS switch during off-peak usage hours, like the middle of the night, over the weekend, or on a holiday.

If you’re getting ready to move, get more details about server migration here. →

If you want to move to a new server host, check out Liquid Web’s migration services for a seamless, easy move.

A server is a physical or virtual machine that continuously stores, shares, and retrieves content on the internet. Hosting is a service that rents servers, or portions of servers, to individuals and organizations so they can make their websites and apps available online.

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Todd Terwillegar was Digital Content Marketing Manager at Liquid Web and has been published with several global brands on the topics of marketing, SEO, and blogging. You can follow Todd on LinkedIn.