What is bare metal?

If you’re confused about just what a bare metal server is, this guide will help you define bare metal and if a bare metal server is a good fit for your company’s digital infrastructure. 

Discover the advantages of bare metal servers now to decide if they are right for your business.

What is a bare metal server?

Bare metal servers are physical servers that offer dedicated resources and hosting for a single customer, making them a powerful solution for organizations that require high performance, security, and control.

Unlike multi-customer cloud servers, where multiple users share resources in a virtual environment, bare metal servers provide exclusive access to the server’s computing power, memory, and storage, resulting in enhanced performance and reduced latency.

Benefits of bare metal servers

1. Dedicated resources

Bare metal servers provide dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage, ensuring that 100% of the server’s resources are available to a single customer. This is ideal for applications that demand consistent, high-level performance.

2. Enhanced customization

Customers have full control over the server environment, including the choice of operating system, software, and hardware configurations. This allows businesses to tailor the server to their specific needs, optimizing performance and security.

3. Superior performance

Without the overhead of a hypervisor, bare metal servers can run applications directly on the hardware, offering superior performance compared to virtualized environments. This makes them suitable for workloads that require intensive computing power and minimal latency.

4. Increased security

The isolated nature of bare metal servers reduces the risk of security breaches, as no other customers share the server. This makes bare metal servers a preferred choice for organizations handling sensitive data.

5. Predictable costs

While the upfront cost of bare metal servers can be higher than shared or virtualized environments, the predictable performance and lack of resource contention can lead to better cost efficiency over time, especially for resource-intensive applications.

Comparing bare metal servers to cloud hosting

When comparing bare metal servers to cloud hosting, the main differences revolve around resource allocation, security, and control:

• Resource allocation: Bare metal servers provide dedicated, unshared resources, ensuring maximum performance. In contrast, cloud hosting often involves sharing resources in a virtualized environment, which can introduce latency and reduce performance during peak usage.
• Security: Bare metal servers offer complete isolation, making them more secure than multi-customer cloud environments where resources are shared.
• Control: Bare metal servers provide full root access, allowing customers to customize every aspect of the server, from the OS to the hardware configurations. Cloud hosting often limits control, with much of the management handled by the service provider.

Bare metal servers vs bare metal cloud

Bare metal cloud is a form of bare metal hosting that combines the benefits of hardware performance with virtualization. Its purpose is to offer cloud scalability and convenience for customers with workloads best suited for bare metal. 

The main difference between physical bare metal and bare metal cloud is resource allocation. With bare metal cloud, a small portion of your resources are used to launch a virtual environment, whereas a physical bare metal server’s resources are entirely yours to use. 

Another key difference is scalability. With a physical bare metal server, you may have to add on hardware or work with your provider to adjust resources. With bare metal cloud, you can scale on-demand, adjusting your resources in a user-friendly portal environment. Some providers even offer API automation.  

Bare metal server performance

One of the primary advantages of bare metal servers is the root-level access they provide, allowing customers to fully customize the server’s operating system, security measures, and software stack. This level of control is critical for businesses that need to optimize their server environment to meet specific application requirements, such as high-performance computing, large-scale databases, and sensitive data processing.

Bare metal servers excel in scenarios where low latency and consistent performance are essential. Since there’s no virtualization layer or “noisy neighbor” effect—where other customers’ usage could impact performance—bare metal servers offer a more predictable and reliable hosting environment. This is particularly beneficial for industries with strict compliance and security requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and government.

Bare metal terminology to know

Understanding the key hosting terms associated with bare metal servers can help demystify the technology and its benefits:

Bare metal

Refers to a physical server that is dedicated to a single customer, offering direct access to hardware without a virtualization layer.

Virtualization

The process of creating virtual machines (VMs) on a server. While bare metal servers can host VMs, their primary advantage is providing unshared, dedicated resources.

Hypervisors

Software that enables virtualization by creating and managing VMs. On bare metal servers, hypervisors are often installed directly on the hardware, providing efficient resource allocation to VMs.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

A cloud service model that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, including bare metal servers. IaaS solutions offer flexibility and scalability, along with managed services like connectivity and security.

How do bare metal servers work?

Bare metal servers work in a similar way to dedicated servers. The key components of the server are built, assembled, and connected to a network. Bare metal servers work by dedicating all their computing and storage resources to a single organization. This setup allows businesses to fully customize and optimize the server for their specific needs, resulting in enhanced performance, security, and control.

Key functionality includes:

• Isolation: The server’s resources are entirely dedicated to one customer, ensuring that sensitive data remains secure and isolated.
• Performance: With exclusive access to the server’s hardware, applications can achieve peak performance without the latency often associated with shared environments.
• Control: Root access allows customers to configure the server’s operating system, software, and security settings according to their specific needs, maximizing efficiency and reliability.
• Predictable costs: Bare metal servers offer a more predictable cost structure, as there are no hidden fees associated with shared resources or virtualization overhead.

Use cases for bare metal servers

Bare metal servers are particularly well-suited for industries and applications that require high levels of performance, security, and compliance. These include:

Finance

For high-frequency trading, real-time analytics, and secure transaction processing, bare metal servers provide the performance and security needed to meet industry standards. It’s recommended to use a PCI-compliant bare metal provider. 

Healthcare

Organizations can manage sensitive patient data and comply with HIPAA regulations using the enhanced security and reliability of bare metal servers. It’s recommended to use a bare metal provider that has been audited for HIPAA requirements.

Retail and ecommerce

Handling high traffic volumes, secure payment processing, and personalized customer experiences are key benefits of using bare metal servers in these sectors. For this sector, it’s also recommended to use a PCI-compliant server provider. 

Dynamic business models

While virtual shared servers are becoming more capable of handling enterprise-level needs, the dedicated resources, superior performance, and enhanced security of bare metal servers make them an attractive option for businesses with demanding workloads.

It’s important to note that your organization doesn’t have to fall under any of these categories for bare metal to be the best, most dependable option for you. 

How long does it take to deploy a bare metal server?

Deploying a bare metal server typically takes longer than setting up a virtual server, ranging from a few hours to several days. However, the investment in time is justified by the server’s superior performance, security, and customization options.

How much does a bare metal server cost?

The cost of a bare metal server can vary depending on the server’s hardware specifications, the hosting provider, and any additional services included (like management, security, and support). Prices can be broken up into three levels.

Entry-level bare metal servers

Entry-level bare metal comes with basic hardware features and just enough resources to deliver powerful performance. 

Price point: $80 to $150 monthly.

Mid-level bare metal servers

Mid-range bare metal offers more customization and resources, with more cores and generous storage. Mid-level bare metal is recommended for projects with temporary surges in usage that need to scale. Typical use cases include ecommerce and heavy databases. 

Price point: $150 to $500 monthly.

High-end bare metal servers

High-end bare metal offers a premium level of bare metal performance, where every resource can be tuned for data-intensive workloads. Many high-end bare metal providers offer custom hardware solutions, including NVMe storage. 

Price point: $500 to $1,000+ monthly.

Enterprise bare metal

These bare metal servers are built for enterprise workloads. Enterprise bare metal is often a multi-server setup, with nuanced requirements and configurations. 

Price point: $1,000+ monthly.

Explore the benefits of bare metal servers with Liquid Web

Liquid Web offers a range of bare metal server hosting solutions, including:

• Linux and Windows compatibility
• Root server access
• Dedicated IP address
• 100% power and network uptime guarantee
• Integrated load balancer and firewall
• Advanced security features
• Built-in backup solutions

Whether you need traditional bare metal servers for maximum performance and isolation or cloud-based bare metal solutions for flexibility and scalability, Liquid Web has the expertise and infrastructure to support your organization’s needs.