Are you in the process of shopping around for your first dedicated server? If so, then you may be understandably feeling a little overwhelmed by the choices available to you. How can you know which option is best for your needs? One important factor to consider as you select a dedicated server is that of its location. After all, the physical location of your server in relation to where you live can have an impact on latency.
What is Latency?
Latency refers to the amount of time needed for your server to process any kind of request. For example, if somebody is visiting your website (which is hosted on a dedicated server) and they click on a link, higher latency will result in the page taking longer to load. On the other hand, low latency will result in the page and all the objects on it (videos, images, text, etc.) loading quickly and smoothly.
How Does Location Affect Latency?
Okay, so how does the location of your dedicated server affect latency? It’s quite simple, really. For example, when a person clicks on a link within your site, that request to load the next page must be sent from the user’s computer to the location of your dedicated server, and back to that computer. The further away your physical server is located, the higher the latency will be because the request will need to pass through more networks to reach the server. If you have ever tried to load a website from a foreign country, perhaps you have noticed that it took longer than you’re used to for each individual page to load. More than likely, that was because the site’s servers are located on the other side of the globe!
Why Low Latency Matters
So, why does latency matter when it comes to your dedicated server? You want to have low latency because this means your pages will load faster for your site’s users. How long would you continue to browse a website if the pages were taking forever to load? Not very long, most likely. The same applies to the people who visit your site. If your website is quick to load and easy to navigate, people are more likely to spend more time on it and will also be more likely to come back.
The same applies to purchasing a gaming server; lower latency means you’ll experience less lag and your game will load faster. As a result, you’ll have a more enjoyable time playing and your connection will be more reliable as well.
Now that you have a better understanding of latency and how location can affect it, you can see why choosing a dedicated server that is close to you is so important. At ReliableSite, we have a variety of server locations to meet your needs. Contact us today to find out more about our dedicated server options!