There’s no shortage of options when you’re out looking for a dedicated server hosting for your website. While you can get online with virtually any of the available options, depending on the kind of website you plan to host, the choice of the server can have a huge impact on your online presence.

Arguably the oldest hosting option, that has managed to survive the onslaught of the virtual machine options, is bare metal hosting . In simple words, a bare metal server is exactly what it sounds like: a physical computer that is earmarked for your exclusive use.

This type of hosting is becoming increasingly popular due to its many benefits, including better performance, increased security, and greater control over the hosting environment. But how does it work, exactly? Let’s find out!

Definition of bare metal hosting

Bare metal hosting offers a dedicated solution, giving you exclusive access to a physical server with all its hardware resources, like CPU, RAM, storage, and network connections, without any virtualization. Unlike shared or cloud hosting, bare metal servers are single-tenant, meaning the entire machine is dedicated to just one user.

This setup prevents the “noisy neighbor” issue found in shared hosting, where other users can affect server performance. The physical isolation also enhances security, making it ideal for organizations with sensitive data or strict regulatory needs.

A bare metal server’s architecture is simple, with only two layers: the physical hardware and the software. Users have root-level access and full control over the server’s setup, including operating system, hardware, and applications. This direct access, without virtualization overhead, leads to better performance and predictable costs — perfect for resource-heavy applications, high-traffic websites, gaming servers, and businesses needing reliable, high-performance computing.

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How is bare metal different?

When you dig deep into any environment, even virtual ones, you’ll find physical hardware. This includes cloud computing, which depends on physical hardware.

“Bare metal” refers to dedicated physical servers offered without virtualization. These servers are built to run dedicated services. You can host a website directly on a bare metal server for optimal performance, instead of relying on virtualized hardware.

A key feature of bare metal servers is that they are single-tenant, meaning they aren’t shared between clients like other web hosting options. This ensures that any tasks performed on your bare metal server are dedicated solely to you.

Why use bare metal hosting

Bare metal hosting eliminates most of the common drawbacks of shared hosting or virtual private server hosting. Here’s how:

• Bare metal servers offer superior performance compared to other hosting options. Plus, reputable vendors select and tune server components for even better performance.
• Many vendors also optimize for your specific workloads, allowing you to choose components like CPU models, NVMe storage, and RAID configurations.
• Unlike cloud or shared hosting, you get direct root-level access to your bare metal server, with remote access through VPN or SSH.
• In terms of security, bare metal hosting offers enhanced protection against cyber attacks. Each server’s physical isolation reduces breach risks, and you have full control over security configurations, crucial for industries with regulatory requirements like finance and healthcare.
• Another benefit is higher processing power. Shared hosting’s virtualization and resource sharing can degrade performance. Bare metal hosting gives you dedicated resources, boosting application and service performance.
• The “noisy neighbor” issue in shared hosting, where one user’s actions affect others, is absent in bare metal hosting, ensuring better service quality.
• Bare metal hosting also offers greater customization. You control the hardware and software setup, allowing configurations tailored to your business needs.

Who hosts on bare metal?

All those benefits come at a cost, which is why bare metal servers are among the most expensive hosting options. They are particularly suited for businesses with hosting needs that require high performance. While you don’t need bare metal servers for a personal blog, many industries benefit from their power, performance, and security. These servers are ideal for websites processing large volumes of data.

Common users of bare metal servers include the banking and financial sectors, as well as government organizations. In today’s big data era, bare metal servers are essential for data-rich environments like e-commerce websites.

Enterprises and large corporations often need high control over their IT infrastructure, preferring dedicated servers. Bare metal hosting lets them customize server hardware, choose an operating system, and configure network settings to fit their needs. This is especially beneficial for organizations with legacy applications requiring specific hardware configurations.

Managing bare metal servers

The complexity and cost of managing a bare metal server depend on the hosting location. You can run bare metal servers in-house, use a colocation data center, or rent them on a subscription plan from a managed hosting provider.

Running bare metal servers in-house is likely the cheapest in direct costs, but it requires significant time, effort, and manpower. Managing an on-prem server means you need to ensure its security, keeping it patched, updated, and properly configured with a firewall. You’ll also need a clear security policy, regular password updates, active monitoring, and a backup and recovery plan in case of issues.

By hosting your bare metal in a colocation facility or using a managed provider, you can offload many of these tasks to professionals. These options allow you to focus more on your business and website by reducing the operational load of managing a bare metal server.

Is bare metal right for me?

While bare metal servers offer unmatched performance, they aren’t the best choice for every hosting need. Deciding between bare metal and virtual servers depends on your requirements and budget, as both have their pros and cons in terms of cost and features.

If you need direct access, highly scalable hardware, and optimized performance, bare metal hosting is the superior option. It’s ideal for those who want full control over their server setup and management. With bare metal hosting, you get a server configured with a dedicated physical hard drive, operating system, and resources, eliminating the need to share resources with others. This makes it more secure compared to Cloud or Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting.

Bare metal hosting allows you to customize the server setup and performance, including software installation, storage configuration, and performance tuning. The main drawbacks are the cost and the technical expertise often required. However, if reliable performance and guaranteed resources are your priorities, bare metal hosting is the best choice.

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