Colocation vs dedicated server:
own the hardware, or rent it?
Both put a physical machine in our Tier IV datacenter in Greater Noida on the same network. With a dedicated server, URLStart owns and maintains the hardware and you rent it monthly. With colocation, you buy the hardware and we provide the rack, power, cooling, network and hands. This page works through when each is cheaper, safer and simpler.
Colocation or dedicated server — the short answer
- TL;DR
- A dedicated server is URLStart’s hardware rented monthly: five builds from ₹9,999/month, live in hours, replaced by us if it fails
- Colocation is your hardware in our cage: 1U/2U, half rack (21U) or full rack (42U), quoted to your hardware and power draw, up to 10 kW per rack, metered power
- Rent when you want no capital outlay and no hardware risk; colocate when you already own good servers, need a specific build, or run enough machines that ownership is cheaper over three years
- Both sit in the same Tier IV datacenter in Greater Noida with the same DDoS-scrubbed network, remote hands 24/7 and a 99.95% uptime SLA
The hardware is the only real difference. With a dedicated server you rent a machine URLStart bought, racked and maintains — if a disk or a power supply fails, we replace it, and the cost is a flat monthly figure. With colocation you bring servers you own into URLStart’s cage in the Tier IV facility; we provide space, 2N power, cooling, the DDoS-scrubbed network, cross-connects and remote hands, and you keep responsibility for the hardware itself. One is an operating expense with zero hardware risk; the other is a capital asset with lower running cost at scale.
- Dedicated from
- ₹9,999/mo
- Colocation
- Quoted per rack
- Hardware owner
- URLStart vs you
- Power
- Included vs metered, up to 10 kW/rack
- Deploy
- Hours vs when your hardware arrives
- Facility
- Tier IV · Greater Noida
- SLA
- 99.95% both
Dedicated vs colocation, line by line.
The same facility and network on both sides, so only the hardware economics differ.
| Dedicated server (rent) | Colocation (own) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the hardware | URLStart | You |
| Upfront cost | None | Purchase price of your servers |
| Monthly cost | ₹9,999 – ₹44,999 per server, flat | Rack space + metered power + bandwidth, quoted |
| Hardware failure | URLStart replaces it | You supply the part; our hands fit it |
| Hardware choice | Five standard builds, custom on request | Anything that fits a rack and the power budget |
| Time to live | Hours | Same day once your hardware arrives |
| Power | Included in the plan | Metered per kWh, up to 10 kW per rack |
| Network | 1 Gbps, up to 10 Gbps available, DDoS scrubbed | Multi-ISP 1–10 Gbps+, cross-connects, DDoS scrubbing |
| Access to the machine | Root + IPMI remote | Root + IPMI remote; physical access by arrangement |
| Remote hands | Included | Included |
| Scaling | Order another server | Buy and ship another server |
| Contract shape | Monthly, cancel anytime | Per rack, typically longer terms |
| Uptime SLA | 99.95% | 99.95% |
| Best for | Teams that want a machine, not a procurement project | Companies with existing hardware, special builds, or 10+ servers |
Rent a dedicated server when.
No capital budget
₹9,999 a month versus several lakh up front for a comparable machine.
You need it this week
A dedicated server is live in hours. Buying hardware takes weeks.
You do not want hardware risk
A failed disk, PSU or motherboard is our problem and our spare part.
One to five machines
Below a handful of servers, the overhead of owning rarely pays back.
You may change size next year
Swap to a bigger build at renewal; no asset to sell.
You want one invoice and one phone number
Hardware, network, power and hands from a single provider.
Colocate your own hardware when.
You already own good servers
Moving them out of an office server room into Tier IV power and cooling is the whole point.
You need a specific build
GPUs, large NVMe arrays, particular NICs or appliances that no rental catalogue offers.
Ten or more machines
Over a three-year life, owning plus colocation usually undercuts renting the same capacity.
Policy says the asset must be yours
Some compliance or accounting rules want the hardware on your own books.
You run your own network gear
Bring your switches and firewalls; we hand you cross-connects and transit.
You know your power profile
Metered power rewards efficient hardware. Up to 10 kW per rack is available.
Three questions.
Do you already own servers worth keeping?
Yes → colocation. No → continue.
Do you need more than about ten machines, or a build we do not rent?
Yes → ask for a colocation quote. No → continue.
Do you want to be live this week with no capital outlay?
Yes → rent a dedicated server. You can colocate later; migration between the two is free.
Pick the path.
One cage, rented or owned.
Dedicated servers and colocated hardware share the same URLStart cage in the Tier IV facility in Greater Noida, the same DDoS-scrubbed edge and the same remote hands.
Frequently asked.
Owning versus renting, in plain terms.