Data center
A data center is a building or place which you’d use to store all of your servers. They house any critical or large amounts of data, but you’d also use them to process and manage all of that data.
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Cloud servers
Your cloud server is a virtual server. It runs in a cloud computing environment, and its a place where you’ll host your games’ matches and sessions. Whereas a bare-metal server is a physical machine, which usually lives inside a data centre (also known as a dedicated server).
Why use a cloud server?
Adding new resources, updates, or even firing up entirely new servers is quick and simple with cloud, and can be done in minutes. They’re also good for dynamically scaling with your game. They can manage any unexpected spikes or traffic, which means you’ll less likely experience any downtime.
With cloud servers, you can have multiple customers using the same machine in their separate virtual environment. Whereas bare-metal (or sometimes called ‘dedicated server’), each physical server will only have one customer using it.
What pitfalls can you expect?
Sometimes they’re not as powerful as bare-metal. It depends on the type of cloud server (and how much budget you have). If you have an intense game which requires a lot of horse power, then cloud servers on their own may not cut it, or they can break the bank.
You can also expect to find unexpected costs for cloud servers. If you end up using more resources than usual, then you may have a hefty bill at the end of the month. It’s also worth noting that some cloud solutions have a higher chance of cybersecurity attacks and data breaches.
Related Terms
Bare-metal servers
A bare-metal server is a physical machine which lives inside a data centre. It’s a place where you’ll host your games matches and sessions.
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Flex metal servers
Flex metal servers are basically bare-metal machines, but you can have them available in the same amount of time as cloud servers.
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