What Are Cloud Servers?

A cloud server runs and works in exactly the same way as a dedicated server with one crucial difference – which is that there is no dedicated physical hardware (however there is still physical hardware…more on that later). A dedicated server runs on physical hardware, as a self contained standalone machine. A cloud server, although technically it does sit on a platform made up of physical hardware, will share that hardware with other users, and move between different hardware.

Although a cloud server shares the hardware with other users cloud servers, because it has dedicated resources allocated to it, other users will not affect it’s performance. This is also down to the sheer size of the setup that a cloud server will be hosted on, more than big enough to house all the cloud servers on it extremely comfortably.

Once a cloud server has been created on the platform, it will then move between machines freely to allow it to perform at the optimal level. This also means that the cloud server is fully hardware redundant, because if one piece of hardware fails, your cloud server will simply move to another.

Another huge benefit to a cloud server is it’s scalability. Dedicated servers can be bespoke to a degree, but with a cloud server you really can tailor the resources to your exact needs using your specific requirements. Further to that, because the resources are scalable, it means that as your business grows, your cloud can grow with it without the need for new hardware. It also means that if you are expecting a higher load on your server, for example, perhaps you are hosting a website that is soon to be holding a sale, meaning you are expecting a sharp but temporary increase in the number of visitors to the site. Having an easily scalable cloud server means that you can quickly add on the resources you need. Because a lot of resources can be added without the need for downtime on a cloud server, that also means that you could potentially add resources whilst an unexpected level of traffic is happening at the time.

Cloud servers can also be a way of lowering your carbon footprint. Being a virtual server on a physical machine with many others, you’ll be using much less energy than you would use with a dedicated server. Plus, as it’s virtual, there’s no plastic waste when it’s time to upgrade! Here at CWCS, we are powered by 100% renewable energy too, so if you take a cloud server out with us you can rest doubly assured that your hosting solution is having a minimal impact on the environment!

Because of the nature of cloud hosting, restoration from a backup can also be a lot quicker, meaning that if the worst does happen, you can get back up and running much faster than if you’d had a dedicated server.

These are just a few of the benefits of cloud hosting, and just some of the reasons that more and more businesses are moving towards a cloud based virtual solution. To speak to an expert about whether a cloud server would be the right move for your business and infrastructure, get in touch with us today.