Dedicated server
A server that is hosted by a company and only allows one company to lease and access it is called a dedicated server. It is "dedicated" to the one client and is not shared with any other clients. Dedicated servers usually allow the client to choose what operating system is installed on it and what type of hardware. Sometimes, as an add-on service, the hosting company provides administration services for the client, freeing the client from having to worry about the server.
In most cases, the hosting company performs all or most of the maintenance on the dedicated server. This includes:
- operating system updates
- updates to any installed applications
- monitoring of the server and applications
- firewall maintenance
- intrusion detection and prevention
- data backups
- disaster recovery
The hosting company also employs strict security measures to safeguard their clients' data. Clients usually pay a monthly, quarterly, or yearly fee to use a dedicated server, which saves money over hosting, maintaining, and managing their servers on-site.