Sometimes you need a separate server to handle a specific task, but the purchase is unreasonably expensive or impossible for some reason. That is exactly the case when you need a leased dedicated server. This practice is popular all over the world, and market offers abound. But make sure to consider some not-so-obvious details when you choose a service provider.
When do you need dedicated servers?
Short-term projects or solution testing. There is no point in buying hardware that would be used for just a couple of months. In this case, it makes more sense to rent a dedicated server at a fraction of the purchase price without major upfront expenses.
You want to follow a golden rule of financing. Long-term assets such as servers should be financed from long-term revenue sources.
A limited budget prevents you from major one-time expenses. A dedicated server may be rented for any period and paid for in small installments without overburdening the corporate budget.
Extra security requirements. A dedicated server is more secure than the public cloud because all the software on it is owned by one company. The customer can also choose between on-premises deployment with his own security arrangements or secure colocation at our remote data center.
More details
As we already mentioned, there are many companies offering this service, and price is not the only factor that should inform your choice.
Hardware. There is a big difference between a used dedicated server and a new one, between a brand-name machine and a generic one. Do not sign any contracts without finding out what kind of hardware is offered. The number and frequency of processor cores, RAM and other specs may be important, but there is much more to the quality and reliability of servers.
Softline uses only Dell servers with Intel processors and Cisco network equipment. Customers can rest assured that they will get reliable brand-new hardware from leading vendors. We offer a broad range of rack servers from entry-level systems to high-performance powerhouses.
Technical support. A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a must-have if you don't want to lose money because of a server failure that can’t be fixed promptly or spend ages waiting for response from technical support. SLA guarantees a high quality of service, which in the case of Softline is also backed by our own inventory of spare parts and components.
All colocation agreements with Softline include an SLA. Thanks to its ample hardware inventory, Softline can upgrade the leased servers by adding more RAM or hard drive capacity. The system can also be scaled up by means of additional servers or the use of Softline cloud resources. A performance monitoring program is in place to promptly detect faulty components for fast replacement.
Supplementary services. Ask the provider whether (a) your configuration requirements can be met precisely, (b) the hardware can be upgraded upon request, (c) there is a buyout option and (d) the dedicated servers can be installed on your premises as well as at the provider’s data center. All these factors are very important.
Once the customer’s needs are clear, Softline would select a server with the optimal performance, so you do not pay extra for the underused capacity. Thanks to this opportunity, some of our customers that were adversely affected by the pandemic were able to switch to simpler and more affordable configurations, thus reducing their costs.
An exceptional arrangement: a dedicated on-premises server
In some cases, customers are unable to use dedicated servers located at the provider's data center for security reasons, when any IT hardware must be physically present within the company’s perimeter. Sometimes a software program or a project implies interaction with equipment that cannot be moved to the cloud.
Softline has an answer to this problem: any of our dedicated servers can be deployed on your premises under the same contract terms.
The bottom line
Dedicated server leasing is a serious rival not only to IaaS but also to various financing options for hardware purchase. When you conclude a three-year server lease agreement with Softline, you can buy it out at a nominal cost of $20 or so, an option not available with the ordinary cloud.
Customer benefits:
- Modest recurring payments instead of major capital expenditures;
- Leased servers are supported by the provider (if not installed at the customer’s location);
- Electricity, rent, Internet access, maintenance and other operational costs are paid by the provider;
- Easy scaling up and replacement of components—70% of our customers scale up the hardware they use.
Still have doubts? Contact our expert and get the best lease offer tailored to your specific business needs
