Many companies are searching for a reliable, single-tenant, bare metal dedicated server because of the benefits of root access, which can’t be emphasized enough. Bare metal allows for better availability of resources, high performance, low latency, and durability. Some companies are looking for options that come with managed services, providing a smooth experience. Others are looking for the same advantages, with more options for control over the resources.
Ultimately, the choice is up to whether you prefer the convenience of dealing with less complexity or go instead with more control and customization options. But while the underlying concept of bare metal dedicated servers and bare metal cloud servers is pretty similar, their use cases can be quite different and need some explanation.
In this article, we will look into both scenarios and explore the differences between bare metal cloud servers and bare metal in a private data center. We will look at the main advantages and drawbacks associated with both, so let’s jump right in.
Bare-Metal Cloud Servers vs. Bare Metal in a Private Data Center
The provider usually sells bare metal dedicated servers as flagship products. These are usually equipped with state-of-the-art hardware. This cuts setup time, distinguishing them from the more traditional dedicated servers.
You can set up bare metal cloud servers, but you can have a physical bare metal dedicated server in a data center all to yourself. Or alternatively, you can have a bare metal server set up at a collocation provider, where you’re renting. Let’s take a closer look now at the cloud and data center choices.
Pros and Cons of Bare Metal Cloud Servers
Bare metal cloud servers are a subdivision of IaaS, and they are a popular choice because they are fairly easy to set up. These are some of its advantages.
Pros of Bare Metal Cloud Servers
On top of the virtual resources provided by IaaS services, bare metal cloud server provisioning also offers dedicated servers. You only need to set the configuration and have the server up and running almost instantly.
Unlike with IaaS cloud, though, with bare metal cloud servers comes the convenience of single-tenancy. You’re granted full control over the server stack and proceed with installing whatever you need.
Another major pro of bare metal cloud servers is that once the server is set up, you don’t need to worry about maintenance. You don’t have to wait for new pieces of hardware to physically arrive at the data center. And you can leap over the setup times as well. Unless you need full control over customization for your workloads, managing the server is handled for you with the cloud option.
Lastly, flexibility is sometimes an understated benefit of choosing bare metal cloud servers. Switching the hardware configuration can be more time-consuming with a bare metal dedicated server in a data center. Swapping the equipment can be more challenging if you’re already set up and realize that the server capacity is insufficient. Bare metal cloud servers offer different server types as options, so replacing a configuration can happen much faster.
Cons of Bare Metal Cloud Servers
Bare metal clouds have lots of advantages. However, they also come with a few drawbacks when compared to bare metal dedicated servers.
First and foremost, you don’t have the option to choose the exact hardware pieces you want. And while you can choose from different server configurations, the provider allocates the hardware.
Generally, you have less control. This can convert into some disadvantages when it comes to specific workload needs. Bare metal cloud servers offer fewer networking benefits. In case you need a specific network architecture, for instance, you might bump into the problem of the provider not supporting it. Bare metal cloud instances are on the same network as the virtual machine instances they host, blocking away the advantage of customized hardware-based traffic management.
The drawbacks of less control can lead to lower performance. Or, to be more exact, you don’t benefit from using the raw compute power and optimization possibilities as you could with a bare metal dedicated server in a private data center. Whether this is an issue depends on the workload and resource needs.
Pros and Cons of Bare-Metal Dedicated Servers in a Private Data Center
Benefits of Having a Bare Metal Dedicated Server to Yourself
All benefits revolve around the perks of having full control over the equipment and server configurations. When the configuration is perfectly tailored to your workload requirements, you can enjoy maximum performance benefits.
In the case of bare metal in a private data center, you can equip your server with the exact type of hardware you want. Using a bare metal dedicated server eliminates the need for the virtualization layer to separate you from the hardware. As a result, there are no obstacles, making way for speed and performance.
Root access offers you a lot of power and flexibility to configure a safe and stable environment that is capable of working with large volumes of data. Of course, if needed, the tenant can configure customized virtual machines on their bare metal server. A bare metal with a hypervisor is also a good solution for some instances. However, most companies opt for the bare metal for the perks of root-level access. This allows for other software uses that would be impossible with a hypervisor.
On top of that, in the single-tenant setting, the noisy-neighbor problem is nonexistent. Just like when owning your home, being the only one in control of the resources allows for better performance, predictability, and planning.
As a last benefit, long-term use of a bare metal server can cost less, especially if you don’t need to migrate much because of alterations in the workload. While it might cost less to initiate a bare metal cloud server, in the long run, the bills can add up and exceed the cost of a bare metal in a private data center.
Drawbacks of a Private Bare Metal Dedicated Server
Bare metal in a private data center can come with many benefits; however, looking at it from a certain angle reveals possible drawbacks as well.
While virtual servers and cloud options often come with the benefits of management and maintenance being included as a service, with a bare metal dedicated server, there’s more work to do. The advantage of access to resources and performance comes with the disadvantage of responsibility over management. This might ask for a specific dedicated IT infrastructure to run smoothly.
Another downside can be that a bare metal dedicated server can initially have higher costs. Compared to other options, where you can pay a monthly or hourly fee, bare metal might seem more costly. Purchasing the server equipment can mean a bigger investment in the beginning. But, with the right choices of configurations for workloads, it tends to balance out the cost over time.
Conclusion
Deciding whether to choose a bare metal cloud server or a bare metal in a private data center depends on the workload you plan to run. Both of them have certain benefits and can come with drawbacks if the choice is not tailored to fit your needs. As a general rule, cloud solutions bring flexible, managed, instant solutions as a trade for control, performance, and customizability.
The decision is up to your priorities.
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