Best & Cheapest SSD Cloud Server in UK

SSD Cloud Server Comparison

When it comes to a cloud server, it is not uncommon, but by no means guaranteed, that it uses Solid State Disks (SSD) instead of the older Hard Disk Drives (HDD). The key difference between the two technologies lies in how data is permanently stored, modified, and read. The main reason for using SSD in a server or other computers is the comparatively high speed of access for all types of operations. However, there are also disadvantages that need to be considered when making a decision.

SSD as Fast Data Storage for Cloud Servers

With an HDD, multiple read-write heads capture or write magnetic states located on small segments of a rapidly rotating disk. To increase capacity, a single HDD can contain multiple disks with a corresponding number of heads. In comparison, an SSD uses electronically controlled storage units - essentially a large number of capacitors that can be either charged or discharged. Since this principle does not involve mechanical parts and information is transmitted directly via electrical signals, SSDs are very robust and offer excellent speed. A comparison of equivalent models shows that SSDs are on average about five times faster than HDDs. The different construction of SSDs results in various pros and cons when used in a cloud server:

Advantages:

• Very high speed of 600 Mb/s or more
• Excellent protection against sudden failures
• Low energy consumption
• Easy setup as a redundant RAID array
• No noise production
• Low heat generation at full load
• Fast access to small amounts of data or file fragments

Disadvantages:

• High initial purchase price
• Lower capacity compared to HDDs
• Increasing costs for a cloud server
• Lack of clear identification of SSD and HDD cloud servers with some providers

Like HDDs, multiple SSDs in a cloud server form a RAID array, which both increases transfer speed through distributed access and ensures redundant data storage. The speed increase is the same for both technologies, as theoretical calculations and practical testing in a comparison demonstrate.

Key Factors in Comparing SSD Cloud Servers

Even without the knowledge of their customers, many Internet Service Providers (ISP) use SSDs as storage media for the operating system to increase its performance. Without explicit labeling as SSD Cloud Server, it is often assumed that user data is generally stored on a cheap HDD RAID array. The resulting additional costs are of little benefit for compute-intensive tasks such as a web server. However, for storage-intensive applications, especially a database server, the access times play a crucial role. Databases in MySQL and MariaDB formats, for instance, fully or partially secure servers in memory with frequent requests. For databases of a certain size or with infrequent access, the information is stored in temporary files. Other systems like SQLite fundamentally store information in files. While an SSD is not a priority for services like a web or file server, it proves to be beneficial for databases. In terms of other parameters, the criteria are similar to those of other services such as Dedicated Server, Managed VPS Hosting, or other Cloud Servers.