Dedicated server hosting may not be as cheap as shared hosting, but it is accompanied with a whole host of benefits that makes up for that. It is often well worth the additional cost of choosing a dedicated server, especially if you have multiple sites or need extra security levels. Shared hosting certainly has its place - it is perfect for those whose website is not central to their business and who rarely make any changes to it, but anyone who is more technical or who relies more on their site or sites needs something more. That is what a dedicated server can provide.

Renting a dedicated server is as flexible and controllable as it is possible to get for a webmaster without owning your own hardware. No one has access apart from you which greatly reduces the risk of security breaches and server hacking. The server is a physical piece of equipment, a computer that hosts your websites and makes them "live". No one else uses the server or has access to it and it is yours to do as you please. You can host multiple sites on it too which makes it worthwhile if you do have more than one as it keeps them in the same place.

Sites that have high traffic benefit greatly from a dedicated server. Loading times are faster as you are using exclusive rather than shared bandwidth and processing power and have your own IP address. Nothing drives visitors away from a site quicker than a slow loading page. Those on shared servers also share an IP address which means that all web traffic has to be directed to host header reading software situated on the server before a web page can load. Although this is usually quick, occasionally it is not and can slow the loading times right down.

Dedicated servers are also much more reliable than shared servers which are more prone to problems and down time. Downtime will discourage visitors from returning to your site so it is important to minimise this risk. If you are sharing with a site that sees a sudden surge in traffic, then your own site could come down due to the congestion. If another site on the server is infected with a bug or a virus, then your site too could become infected. Although this is relatively rare, it nevertheless does happen and should be considered before taking out shared managed hosting.

Security is another area that sees dedicated servers come out on top. You and only you have access to the server. That means viruses cannot make their way there on the back of another site or application. Also it is possible to implement an external firewall which provides a further layer of protection against problems, bugs and viruses. When you choose a dedicated hosting plan, it is possible to quickly and easily upgrade the plan. That means additional bandwidth or memory can be obtained and it is also possible to increase your processor speed. This makes it a flexible solution to hosting that can grow as your website grows.

Although shared hosting is good value for money and works well for many people, it is not ideal for the serious webmasters and technical gurus out there. E-commerce sites in particular should not be hosted on shared servers due to the financial transactions that take place and the need for high security levels of customer details. Server hosting may seem a little bit confusing at first, but once you have assessed your needs it is simple to find a plan that suits you. Managed server hosting takes all the hassle and stress out of hosting websites as the hosting company take care of everything. It is possible to find a variety of affordable and perhaps even cheap dedicated server companies on the web who will provide a great service for a very reasonable monthly fee.