Comparison on the basis of Definition of Cloud Server and Physical Server

What is a Cloud Server?

A cloud server is a kind of server not physically visible meaning it is remote, generally in data centres which can be accessed using the internet.

What is a Physical Server?

A physical (local) server is a server which can be bought and owned physically, as well as have on-site via the internet.

 

Comparison on the basis of Features of Cloud Server and Physical Server

Features of Cloud Server

  1. Data Transfer with Ease –Due to the presence of an application layer operating on the cloud server, data can be moved with ease and speedily amongst the actual physical resources that make up the cloud infrastructure.
  2. Data– redundancy and backup- As there is no human involvement, data redundancy & backup can be easily achievable with cloud servers.
  3. Easily Scalable – Users have the choice to opt for a shared hosting plan that scales depending on their needs
  4. Infrastructure – Offers Choice of Computing infrastructure like physical (bare metal), virtual, or a mix of the two depending on usage.
  5. Storage – Enabling users to process intensive workloads and a better storage platform to store large volumes of information.
  6. Accessible on Demand – Automated services are accessed on-demand through an API
  7. Flexible Payment System -Allows users the choice of monthly or as-you-go payment

Features of Physical Server

  1. Powerful & Efficient– Physical servers are far more powerful and efficient than Cloud servers, as cloud servers are prone to performance issues due to the overflow of virtual servers in a physical machine.
  2. Additional Hardware Options – Physical server unlike cloud-based server offers additional hardware options like dedicated firewalls, routers, and switches increasing the scope for customisation.
  3. Secured Platform– As Physical server supports the single-tenant environment, which includes a limited number of admin users with increased permission settings, there is less worry about attacks from “neighbouring accounts” hence making it more secure than cloud-based servers.
  4. Configuration – Physical servers offer additional flexibility of configuration in the context of CPU type and speed, disk space, memory, video options, which is not available in cloud servers.

Comparison on the basis of Pros of Cloud Server and Physical Server

Pros of Cloud Server

  1. Cost Effectiveness – With cloud servers, Companies need to pay only for what they need and cut back the unnecessary expense that comes with maintaining server hardware.
  2. Scalability – Users can scale computing and storage resources to meet changing needs. This is particularly helpful for organizations with fluctuating needs.
  3. Integration – An organization’s cloud servers are networked to make sure uninterrupted communication and quick deployment.
  4. Workload Efficiency – Cloud-based servers have the Potential to consolidate servers and increase workload efficiency.
  5. Low Cost on Maintenance – Cloud-based servers incur lower lifetime costs on configuration and annual maintenance.

Pros of Physical Server

  1. Choice of Server – Depending on your company’s needs, the server may be located onsite or a preferred physical location.
  2. Customisable – Physical server can be fully customized and configured as per your specifications and requirements.
  3. Accessibility – Physical servers give full access to your dedicated server resources 24/7/365, which are often quite beneficial for high-demand or business-critical – operations.
  4. Not Reliable on the Internet – Physical servers doesn’t rely on the internet connection to access any information from the server.

Comparison on the basis of Cons of Cloud Server and Physical Server

Cons of Cloud Server

  1. Cost vs Benefits – The cost of cloud servers could exceed the benefits the company has from it if it’s not dependent on instant recovery.
  2. Issues of the Internet– If there is a slow, poor or no internet connection in your company or from the server’s end, none of the information can be accessed.
  3. Limitation of Data Storage – As the cloud storage availability & cost increase as per data size, the company might have to limit the data to be stored in the server to save increased costs.
  4. No Individual Control – An independent control over server and apps running on it is not possible.

Cons of Physical Server

  1. Comparatively Higher Cost – When compared to cloud servers, physical servers are Relatively higher in terms of cost of server purchase, maintenance, hardware failure, replacement.
  2. Constant need for Configuration – These servers require setup, configuration, and maintenance continually.
  3. The Cost of Hiring Extra Staff– As it requires configuration & repairs consistently, your company needs to incur the cost of hiring a contractor or vendor for help.
  4. Investment for Space – These servers requires physical or colocation space which might increase the cost of investment for the company.
  5. Risk of Data Loss – Due to any disaster or calamity on-site, data can be lost.

Quick Comparison between Cloud Servers and Physical Servers

We are doing a quick comparison between cloud server and physical server so that you can better understand which is the best option for you.

Key Points Cloud Server Physical Server
Cost efficiency Low upfront costs Large upfront costs
Optimization Advanced capacity optimization Poor capacity optimization
Licenses VM software license No need for a license
Space Saves space Takes a lot of space
Lifespan Longer lifespan Short lifespan
Mobility & copying Easy to move and copy Difficult to move and copy
Overhead layers Requires a certain level of overhead layers for running VM’s No overhead layer required
Best Suited for For organisations serving multiple users For organisations running services which need highly productive computer hardware

 

Which one to choose between Cloud Server and Physical Server?

While choosing between the Cloud servers and local servers, one should keep in mind the following:

  • The number of operations that business executes
  • The performance level customers expect from the organization
  • Business goals and objectives
  • The allocated budget
  • Downtime tolerance
  • The amount of workload
  • Data sensitivity

The above will help make a better choice between cloud server vs local server and prove fruitful to the company in the longer run.

 

 

Interested in cloud? You might be interested in our below cloud related blogs:

Why Switch to the Cloud? – 11 Advantages of Cloud Computing for Business

Why to choose Azure Cloud: 10 Reasons Why to choose Microsoft Azure Cloud for Your Enterprise

Azure Vs AWS: Why choose Azure over AWS?

What is a Virtual Machine (VM)? – The Benefits of Virtual Machines

Cloud vs Virtualization: What’s the difference between Cloud Computing and Virtualization?