Plenty of people want to know what server hosting is and how to choose a provider. This guide covers it for game servers, websites, applications and other uses.
What Is Server Hosting
Server hosting means renting computing resources (CPU, RAM, storage, network) from a hosting provider who operates data centers with professional hardware. Instead of running services on your home computer, you use powerful machines in secure facilities with fast internet connections.
This lets you run anything that needs to be available 24/7 without keeping your own computer running constantly.
Types of Server Hosting
Shared Hosting
Multiple customers share the same physical server. Each customer gets a slice of the resources. Cheapest option but performance varies because you compete with other users for CPU time.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)
A physical server is divided into virtual servers using virtualization software. Each VPS gets its own RAM and storage and a set number of vCores, which are often shared with the other VPSes on the node. Better than shared hosting because your performance is more predictable.
Dedicated Server
You get an entire physical machine to yourself. Maximum performance and complete control. Best for demanding workloads like heavy game servers or high-traffic websites.
Cloud Hosting
Resources are distributed across multiple servers. Flexible scaling and pay-as-you-go pricing. Good for applications with variable resource needs.
Common Uses for Server Hosting
Game servers are the biggest consumer market for hosting. Minecraft, Rust, FiveM, and dozens of other games all need hosted servers for multiplayer.
Websites and web applications run on hosted servers. From small blogs to major e-commerce sites, server hosting powers the internet.
VPN servers, media streaming, file storage, development environments, and business applications all use hosted servers.
How to Choose a Server Host
Match the hosting type to your needs. Game servers need a fast CPU, enough reserved RAM and hardware built for them. Websites can often get by with shared hosting.
Check the hardware. Modern AMD Ryzen or Intel processors with NVMe SSD storage outperform older hardware dramatically.
Consider location. A server in the Netherlands serves Europe with low latency. A server in the US East serves North America well.
Read about resource allocation. Ask which CPU you get, how much of it your plan can use and how much RAM is reserved for your server.
Space-Node Server Hosting
Space-Node specializes in game server and VPS hosting on AMD Ryzen 9 hardware with NVMe storage. Their game servers run in nine regions across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia; VPS runs in the Netherlands, with dedicated RAM and shared vCores, and is out of stock until about the end of October.
For Minecraft, FiveM and Rust servers, Space-Node provides AMD Ryzen 9 hardware and the Pterodactyl panel. The CPU is shared with other servers on the node and the RAM in your plan is reserved for your server. The 24/7 streaming VPS runs Windows with browser access.