Managed vs. Unmanaged Dedicated Server: What’s The Difference?

There are various web hosting services available, like Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Server Hosting, etc. Also, each of these services is available in different variants like Windows/Linux-based servers, SSD/HDD-based servers, and managed or unmanaged services. Dedicated Servers stand right at the top of the pile for site performance and server control. The following video shows how Dedicated Servers help in your site performance:

In this article, we will talk about Dedicated Servers and compare the Managed and Unmanaged Dedicated Server plans available to site owners. This will help you find the perfect Dedicated Server in India.

What is Dedicated Server Hosting?

One of the oldest and most trusted forms of web hosting, the Dedicated Hosting architecture is a setup where your website is the sole user of a web server. Therefore, when you buy Dedicated Hosting in India, you do not share the server, its resources, or processing power with any other user. This helps boost the performance of the website. Also, being the sole user, you can make changes to the server based on your site’s requirements. You can choose between HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) Dedicated Servers.

Additionally, Dedicated Servers are available under Managed and Unmanaged variants. Running and managing a website involves a range of tasks, like running updates, backups, security scans, and other maintenance tasks. These are not highly technical and can be managed by most site owners with ease. However, they can eat away into their time and leave them with less time in hand for other important tasks. On the other hand, Dedicated Servers offer root access that allows you to make any changes to the server as deemed necessary. To make these changes, some technical knowledge is a must. Hence, most hosting companies with Dedicated Servers Hosting offer managed plans along with unmanaged ones.

Here is a quick look at Managed and Unmanaged Dedicated Servers and the differences between them.

Managed vs. Unmanaged Dedicated Server Hosting

  Managed Dedicated Servers Unmanaged Dedicated Servers
Price & cost-efficiency In Managed Dedicated Hosting plans, the web host assigns a team of experts to run and manage the server on behalf of the site owner. Therefore, the price of Managed Dedicated Hosting plans is higher than unmanaged plans. However, since there are no recurring manpower costs due to the hosting company managing the server, these plans are highly cost-efficient. Since the web host does not run and manage the server on behalf of the site owner, the price of the unmanaged plans is lower.

However, as the hosting company does not manage the server, the responsibility lies with the site owner. In the long-run, if manpower costs for server management increase, then they can turn out to be costlier than managed plans.

Ease of Use With the hosting company taking charge of all server-related tasks, site owners can focus on their business and other important aspects. Since you have to manage all server-related tasks, you might need complex internal processes or additional manpower to manage the server in the long-run.
Control over the server Restricted since the technical team assigned by the host manages most of the tasks for you. Unrestricted since you have to manage all server-related tasks yourself.

Summing Up

While Unmanaged Dedicated Servers are cheaper with a higher degree of control, they require the site owner to be technically skilled and have time on hand to manage these tasks. However, with Managed Dedicated Servers, a technical team handles these tasks, freeing up your time. Before buying a Dedicated Server Hosting plan, assess your site’s needs carefully, research the market, compare plans, and find a hosting service best suited to your site.