It’s safe to say most people wonder what a dedicated server actually is. In all honesty, a dedicated server isn’t that complicated a product. A dedicated server in very simple words, is a computer, in a server case, hosted in a datacentre on a high powered internet connection. The large majority of server hosting providers are experts in this. Having the correct setup and location is important for dedicated hosting. Let’s go over those descriptions for a dedicated server.

A dedicated server is a computer

The main difference is the computer sits in a normal case, which sits snugly on a desk. Dedicated servers have specialised cases. Approximately 3″, 1U is a special measurement used in datacentre environments. These servers are specially made in cases that fit in racks. Racks, specially made for datacentre ennvironments ensure the best air flow and network cable arrangement. Dell are probably the best known server provider. Dell sell laptops and home computers to the home sector. So the main difference between a dedicated server and a home computer, is the case the components are housed in. Granted dedicated servers are usually a lot more high powered and resilient.

Dedicated servers are hosted in datacentres

The normal dedicated web server hosting will be in a 1U case. A pizza box would be about the same height! Although I’m afraid to tell you won’t find any pizza in a dedicated server! Take for example Dell’s popular R200 server. These consume around 0.6 amps, so in a 16 amp rack you’d fit around 26 servers- often more. Using rackmount rails, these servers are stacked on top of each other, with air flow in between each server. At the back of the dedicated server is a power port, and a network port. The servers connect to a power supply unit and switch in each rack. Datacentre racks are arranged into aisels. Rows of racks in aisels can be seen in datacentres. Some racks will host high powered routers, and switches, which jump off onto the main internet backbone. For this sort of environment, a company such as Melbourne who specialise in a dedicated server would be ideal.

Dedicated servers require a fast internet connection

The majority of home connections run at around 10mbs. For the majority of dedicated servers, this isn’t sufficient. Most dedicated servers are sold with a 100mbit connection. Website such as video sites require this high connection. So in conclusion, the right hardware, a good datacentre and fast connection are needed for server hosting.