Thread: shared hosting or dedicated server?

Unless the ram & cpu cycles are an absolute necessity a dedicated server is not needed. A VPS is great middle ground: Low cost & full root or Administrator access.

well really dedicated servers or VPS are if your sites are to much to be handled on a shared hosting account really. if your looking to upgrade then a dedicated is the way to go, cuz the space your not using you can sell to make some money back and also to be able to really customize it to your likings not the hosting company.

Originally Posted by DickTracy

At the moment all my sites are on $40 a year shared-type hosting schemes, with no particular problems or downtime - even for high traffic sites.

What are the benefits in changing to a dedicated server ($250 a month with my current hosting company) and are they worth the cost?

Cheers

Benefits could include:

Own private server - you can modify and customize to suite all your needs.

More resources for all your sites and you can even host a lot more sites if you do so choose to.

You wouldn't have to worry about someone blocking your IP for spam if a fellow shared hosting person would send out a massive spam attack. (less risk per say)

What you put on it is what you put on it, no risk of someone shutting your host down for warez or what have you. (unless the DC was a bunch of idiots who knows)

Faster Ping rates possible (location would affect this but chances are you will want something quick)

As for costs, if all you are hosting is a few sites, then no its not worth the extra jump. However, if by some reason you need more than shared, a VPS or a Semi-Dedicated server would suite you better because they're much cheaper.

Dedicated servers are for larger usage, however you can also do even larger usage on shared packages. If you take for example multiple big shared packages, you can easily outrun the dedicated server you were planning to buy.