Cloud Servers vs Physical Servers

If you’re someone who takes interest in technology and innovation. If you’re someone who likes to explore the geek world, you may have heard a lot about Cloud Computing. In cloud computing, there are several types of servers. You might not know which one will be beneficial for you. In this article, we are going to talk about Cloud servers vs Physical servers.

What is a cloud server?

A cloud server is a virtual or physical server that is hosted and delivered by a cloud service provider over the internet. It is known to provide various services which are related to cloud computing such as storage settings, networking, resources of different databases. With the help of cloud server you can work without any exterior source help.

A single physical server can further divided into multiple virtual servers by using dedicated hardware. By cloud computing, it can make a lot of your work easy. As per your requirements, it has options of private, public and hybrid servers. According to your work, you can avail anyone of them.

Public cloud servers shared by multiple customers and are accessible over the internet. Private cloud servers are dedicated to a single customer and are usually hosted on-premises or in a secure data center. Hybrid cloud servers combine both public and private cloud servers to provide the best of both worlds.

What are the benefits of using a cloud server?

In the world of business and technology, Cloud computing is quite important and one of the most prevalent services ever. It has many pros and cons, so one should only choose it according to however they want to. Some of the main benefits of using a cloud server are:

• Cost savings: As per what you use and access, the cost of your paying will depend solely on that. Considering your budget in mind you can scale your resources up and down. Cost saving is an extremely important factor as businesses already take a large amount of your money.
• Security and privacy: Security has been a priority ever since the beginning. With Cloud computing services you can attain the best security for your data and applications. It will protect you from all the data theft and breaching that is possible.In any case, where there is a risk of you losing your data, cloud computing will keep your data safe for restoration in times of natural disasters. Moreover, the data encrypted and free from any virus and monitoring.
• Flexibility and mobility: Having a server that works according to your convenience is a great advantage. Just with a stable internet connection, Cloud servers will allow you to access and manage your resources and applications from anywhere, anytime. Moreover, you can interlink and communicate with your teammates and clients whenever you wish to.
• Performance and reliability: Considering the amount of data that supposed to stored and the heavy workload, cloud servers consume high performance. This helps them in handling the large amount of data. With the help of restoration systems, sata storage locations, and several multiple servers, it promises a high and efficient service.
• Innovation and scalability: A business is usually about your creative ideas and how you can imply them. With Cloud servers you can experiment with new ideas and technologies without risking your existing infrastructure or operations. With the help of AI, machine learning, and other new trends, you can access the customer experience.

What are the disadvantages of using a cloud server?

It provides us a lot of benefits, however with every benefit there comes a disadvantage which should not be ignored. The major disadvantages of a cloud server are mentioned below:

• Downtime: In times when there is a network issue or disruption, you won’t be able to access your data or applications. This constant hassle for internet connectivity will create problems. This can cause delays, losses, or damages to your business or personal activities.
• Security and privacy risks: Although there are enough resources that the providers give in terms of security, the server is still at a certain risk of hacking , theft, or breaching. You may also lose control over your data when you store it on a third-party server that may have different policies or regulations than yours.
• Vendor lock-in: In times when you wish to migrate your data from one platform to another, there might be a lock in. Cloud servers do not provide you with enough flexibility of changing your data. This becomes a deep rooted issue for further cases. You may face compatibility issues, technical difficulties, or additional costs when you try to change or move your cloud services.
• Limited customization: Customization always becomes a plus point. Who doesn’t want their server to run according to them. However, with cloud servers you cannot avail this offer. You may have to adapt to the standards and specifications of the cloud service provider or compromise on some features or functionalities that you need.

What is a physical server?

A server that is known to have its own hardware products, like memory, processor, hard drive ets. Is called a Physical server.It is often known by the name of bare metal server.. Which implies that it is dedicated to a single user or organization. A physical server can run various programs and applications on its internal hardware resources.

As the name suggests, a physical server needs to be kept in optimal condition where there is normal temperature and humidity. A physical server requires regular maintenance and monitoring by a technical team to ensure its performance and security.

What are the advantages of a physical server?

A physical server usually sounds quite appealing to the users. It has some efficient benefits that make it attractive to clients. Some of the advantages of a physical server are:

• Full independence and confidentiality of data: When you can have complete control over your data and resources, you’ll obviously feel happy about it. You can have that by using a physical server. You do not have to share them with anyone else or rely on a third-party provider. With this, you can also protect your data from unauthorized access or hacking by disconnecting the server from the network in case of an emergency.
• Problem resolution on site: In case of any issue, there is no need to leave the server in order to resolve it. A physical server lets you fix it without leaving the server. When you seem to be facing an issue, you can just restart or perform the required action in case of virtual or cloud based server.
• Optimal amount of power: A physical server can provide you with the amount of power that you need for your operations. IIt will be no more or less. You can fully adjust the capacity of the server according to your needs. This advantage makes a lot of difference since it helps in avoiding wasting resources or paying for extra servers that you do not use.
• Customization and flexibility: A physical server can be fully customized by your IT team based on your specific needs and preferences. As per your needs, you are allowed to choose the hardware components, the operating system, the software applications, and the network architecture that suit your requirements. You can also use your own software or developments that you do not want to expose anywhere else.
• Fast isolation of problems: Facing problems is quite a common thing. When there is a problem with one section of servers, you might want to quickly isolate it and redistribute the capacity to other servers. This can minimize the impact of downtime or performance issues on your operations.

What are the disadvantages of a physical server?

A physical server also has some drawbacks that make it less attractive for some users and scenarios. Some of the disadvantages of a physical server are:

• High cost: A high costing issue has always been number one since not every business has a big budget. Maintaining a physical server is often a hard thing to do. You just not have to pay for the initial purchase but also the installation and other updates and repairs you’re going to face in the future. This will also ask for a constant technical backup which is an unnecessary expense at hand.
• Limited scalability: Considering all the updates that are required, a physical server is more difficult to scale than a virtual or cloud-based server. At times when you are looking for more space for your data and applications, it usually gets difficult. You will have to buy in order to attain the storage. This process can take a long time and require more space and resources.
• Risk of hardware failure: A physical server is vulnerable to hardware failure due to mechanical faults, power outages, natural disasters, human errors, or cyberattacks. If a physical server suffers a damage or breakdown, it can affect multiple programs and applications that run on it. You have to ensure that you have adequate backup systems and recovery plans in case of an outage.
• Lack of mobility and accessibility: A physical server is usually immovable which naturally makes it inconvenient. It is stuck to a specific location and cannot easily moved or accessed from anywhere else. Every time you want to access it, you’ll have to be physically present in front of the server. This can be a disruption to your flexibility and convenience.

When do you need a physical server?

A physical server might be suitable for you if:

• You have high-demand operations that require maximum performance and efficiency.
• You have sensitive or confidential data that you want to keep secure and private.
• You have specific or complex requirements that cannot met by other types of servers.
• You have enough budget, space, and technical staff to run and maintain a physical server.

Conclusion

Both the servers (Cloud vs Physical Server) are known for their specific pros and cons that they provide for the businesses. The networks provided by the physical servers help pool in the network of a cloud server. Physical servers are dedicated servers that run on a single piece of hardware. Where cloud servers generally offer more flexibility, scalability, cost-efficiency, and a reliable working space, physical servers offer more security, reliability, performance, and customization than cloud servers. As per the needs of your business, you should choose which server is good for you. Your choice really makes a big impact so one needs to be tedious and smart about it.