Not everyone needs a dedicated server because it offers more features and flexibility than those offered by shared hosting. But how do you know when you need to migrate to a dedicated server from shared hosting?

• Security Concerns Increase
• Server speed and resources extremely critical
• Custom Software Requirements

These are all good reasons why a dedicated server may become critical.
Almost every hosting company will provide some sort of user control panels for you to monitor your allowed storage space, upload/download limit and other features. If you start to reach your hosting plan's limit, this might be a sign that you should switch to dedicated server.

One difference between shared hosting and dedicated hosting are the resources, the processors for example, are shared across multiple hosting customers. Therefore if your web site takes up most of the resources then this will greatly reduce the performance of other customers' web sites. They will probably cancel or suspend your service as a result.

With a dedicated server, your web site will have all the resources dedicated completely to your web site. Dedicated servers also allows you to install other software on your own instead of waiting for your host to install them for you. Unlike shared hosting, dedicated server supports media streaming, game/chat servers as well as other back ends. If your web site has a instant chat feature or you want to host your own gaming server then you definitely need a dedicated server because shared hosting simply cannot support those features.

Before you migrate to dedicated server, consider the extra costs. On average expect to pay over $100 per month as opposed to a few dollars per month for shared hosting. This should be your second factor when consider switching to dedicated server.

Finally although dedicated server offers greater flexibility than shared hosting, you will have to decide if you can or able to handle the extra challenge and responsibly in maintaining your own server. There are mainly three type of servers.

Unmanaged server

The cheapest of all three but basically the host will only hook up the server to their network and you are on your own to keep the server running.

 

Managed server

The easiest of all three because its "managed", meaning the host is only leasing the server to you and they will be responsible for keeping it running. You only have to worry about your own content, similar to shared hosting.

Colocated server

You will purchase your own server as oppose to leasing one like you can with managed server. Just like unmanaged server, the host will connect your server to their network and again its up to you to keep it running. It is also the most expensive of all three.