How Does Dedicated Server Architecture Have Effect?

When the question how does dedicated server architecture work is asked it provokes an image of web hosting systems. This is not the only application for this type of system. The web hosting solution is probably the most common in the public's mind, but many companies use dedicated servers to separate systems that have high volume and need to be able to handle the processing without interference from other types of systems.

The difference between shared and dedicated managed servers systems needs to be understood to gauge which is the best to be used in each situation. Shared systems often run multiple applications or have several customers running on the same hosting system. The dedicated system reserves the system for one program or customers use.

Many wonder how the stand-alone system fits into the network environment. For example, when an email server is not on a shared system, the user may wonder how the traffic knows to go to that particular box. Every computer attached to a network as its own IP address. The router is aware of what IP address are mapped for specific purposes. Using a web domain as an example, the domain is equal to an Internet IP address. Traffic to this domain is routed to the specific box associated to the IP address. In a shared environment, there may be many domains on the same IP address. In this case, the server then routes the traffic to the reserved space on the hard drive. The stand-alone system does not have the last layer of routing needed.

Email and other critical systems are often placed on stand-alone hardware. When there is a higher volume of traffic, it is best to separate it from the rest of the environment by setting aside one box to deal with processing all of the email. For important data, like financial software, there may be more than one dedicated system to keep the data safe. Eliminating other programs from the system keeps them from being able to crash a hard drive that has critical information on it.

Web hosting is the most well known environment for these systems. Companies that have a high volume of traffic or very critical web services often will lease a single box for their own website. This prevents other websites from sharing the IP address and processor with the critical systems.

The advantages of having a stand-alone system are many. The shared IP address can become a problem if one of the shared hosting customers happens to be involved in sending spam. In this case, the entire IP address may be blacklisted and rejected when emails are sent from other customer accounts. If a shared customer happens to run a program that has a bug causing the system to crash, every customer on that particular shared box will temporarily lose their websites.

The cost of employing dedicated servers is minimal when compared to the risks of sharing systems. The actual price is usually higher because the hardware cost cannot be spread out to other customers. The reward is knowing that no one else can have a negative impact on your own website or systems. In many cases, the host provides additional access to the box that is not available in shared environments. This gives your team more control and options that others may not enjoy.

Dedicated servers provide a better environment for critical business systems. When compared to shared systems, the architecture of the dedicated system provides you better response and control. Having this stronger environment available can ensure that both your employees and customers are much happier with continually running systems.