What is the difference between a bare metal server and a physical machine? Selection of both servers

There are obvious differences between bare metal servers and physical machines in many aspects. These differences will affect which server type you choose to meet your needs.

1. Hardware and virtualization ：

• Physical machine : Traditional physical servers are actual hardware devices, usually without virtualization technology. Each physical server is independent and does not share resources with other servers.
• Bare metal server : Although it is also based on physical hardware, the bare metal server uses virtualization technology. However, unlike traditional virtual machines, bare metal servers provide performance close to physical machines, while maintaining some advantages of cloud services, such as automatic distribution, automatic operation and maintenance.

2. Performance and predictability ：

• Physical machine : Since the overhead of the virtualization layer is not involved, the physical machine can usually provide higher performance and more predictable performance.
• Bare metal server : Since there is no overhead of virtualization layer, bare metal server also provides high performance and predictability.

3. Flexibility and management ：

• Physical machine : Physical machines usually need more management work, including hardware and operating system management. However, they also provide more flexibility, because you can freely configure hardware and operating systems as needed.
• Bare metal server : The bare metal server provides cloud services such as automatic distribution and automatic operation and maintenance, reducing management complexity. However, their configuration is usually static, requiring you to manage the hardware and operating system yourself.

4. Security and isolation ：

• Physical machine : The physical machine provides physical level isolation and high security.
• Bare metal server : The bare metal server also provides physical isolation from other tenants to ensure security.

5. Application scenarios ：

• Physical machine : Applicable to scenarios requiring high performance, hardware control and predictability, such as large computing tasks or specific hardware configuration requirements.
• Bare metal server : It is applicable to scenarios that require high performance and stability. At the same time, it hopes to enjoy some advantages of cloud services, such as automatic distribution, automatic operation and maintenance.

When selecting bare metal servers and physical machines, you need to consider your specific needs and application scenarios. If you need high performance, hardware control and predictability, and want to enjoy some advantages of cloud services, then bare metal servers may be a good choice. However, if you need more flexibility and the ability to freely configure hardware and operating systems, then the physical machine may be more suitable for you. No matter which type of server you choose, it is very important to understand the differences and advantages between them to ensure that your server meets your needs.