Introduction
When it comes to selecting a server, you're faced with two primary options; bare metal servers or virtualization. While both options provide different benefits to you, finding which is the right match for your business or organization can be tough. In this blog post, we will be comparing bare metal servers and virtualization to help identify the best fit for your company's needs.
Bare Metal Servers
Bare metal servers, often referred to as dedicated servers, are single-tenant physical servers designed for a sole company to use. The user has access to every inch of the hardware, including the CPU, memory, storage, and network. Bare metal servers are used when you need maximum speed, flexibility, and reliability for applications that are resource-intensive. They give the user the freedom to configure the server based on specific needs, which can lead to improved performance.
However, having a bare metal server means you're responsible for managing everything yourself. This includes maintaining hardware, security, and software updates. You'll also need to have an IT team to handle these responsibilities. This can be costly and time-consuming, making bare metal servers a less attractive option for small businesses.
Virtualization
Virtualization is when a user creates multiple virtual machines (VMs) on top of a physical server. In a virtual environment, the hardware resources can be divided up into different virtual machines, allowing users to use a common physical server for multiple purposes. This leads to easier and more efficient server management.
Virtualization also provides better flexibility, energy efficiency, and scalability. It allows for easy hardware upgrades without affecting the software applications running on the VMs. This makes it an excellent choice for small-to-medium-sized businesses where cost-efficiency is a priority.
However, virtualization has significant limitations. Sharing resources means that each virtual machine can only access a percentage of the total CPU, memory, or storage capacity. This can lead to performance issues if multiple VMs are running intensive applications at once. Also, the more VMs in a virtual environment, the higher the chances of security risks and hardware failures.
Comparison
| Bare Metal Server | Virtualization |
|---|---|
| Maximum performance | Better flexibility |
| Higher security | Easier management |
| Higher reliability | Lower costs |
| Higher maintenance costs | Hardware limitations |
| Higher initial expenses | Reduced performance |
Conclusion
When it comes to selecting which server to use, bare metal servers are suitable for those needing high performance, reliable hardware, and have the finances to support it, while virtualization is excellent for those needing flexibility, cost-saving, and ease of management.
References
- What is Bare Metal Server? IBM
- Bare Metal vs. Virtualized Coder Catalyst IT
- Bare Metal Servers vs. Cloud Servers: What's the difference? Liquid Web