Table of contents

What is bare metal cloud?How bare metal cloud compares to other cloud optionsKey featuresKey differencesFAQsNext stepsAdditional resources

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Bare metal cloud hosting, built for performance and control

Bare metal cloud gives you dedicated server power with cloud flexibility. No virtualization. No shared resources. Just raw performance, full control, and built-in scalability for your most demanding workloads.

What is bare metal cloud?

Bare metal cloud is a type of cloud service where you rent an entire physical server—no hypervisor, no neighbors, and no overhead. Unlike traditional cloud computing that relies on virtual machines (VMs) sharing the same hardware, bare metal gives you 100% of the server’s CPU, RAM, disk, and network capacity.

You can install any OS, fine-tune your infrastructure, and run performance-sensitive workloads without the limitations of virtualized environments.

How bare metal cloud compares to other cloud options

Bare metal sits in a category of its own—offering the control of on-prem hardware with the agility of cloud provisioning. Here’s how it stacks up:

Bare metal vs traditional cloud: No shared hypervisors or multi-tenancy; full hardware access means more performance and less latency
Bare metal vs private cloud: Private cloud is usually virtualized; bare metal is not—so you get direct hardware control
Bare metal vs dedicated servers: Dedicated servers often require long-term contracts; bare metal cloud is provisioned on-demand
Bare metal vs colocation: No hardware to buy, no data center to manage—bare metal cloud is hosted and managed for you

Key features of bare metal cloud

Bare metal cloud delivers the speed, control, and reliability that traditional cloud environments can’t match. Here’s what makes it different:

Dedicated hardware access – 100% of the server’s compute and storage resources are yours alone
No virtualization overhead – Eliminate the performance tax of hypervisors and virtual switches
No noisy neighbors – Avoid resource contention by running in an isolated, single-tenant environment
Full infrastructure control – Choose your OS, control your stack, and configure the server for your exact needs
High security and isolation – Great for compliance-driven industries and sensitive applications
Flexible configurations – Optimize CPU, RAM, disk, and network based on workload requirements

When to use bare metal cloud

Bare metal cloud isn’t for everyone, but when performance, security, or customization matter, it’s the obvious choice. Ideal bare metal use cases include:

Big data and analytics – Ingest and process data at high speed with consistent I/O
AI and machine learning – Maximize compute and GPU utilization for training and inference
Ecommerce platforms – Eliminate slowdowns during traffic spikes with guaranteed resources
Gaming and streaming – Deliver real-time performance with minimal latency
SaaS infrastructure – Host tenant workloads securely with strict resource isolation
Compliance-sensitive industries – Maintain control over physical infrastructure to meet HIPAA, PCI, or GDPR needs

Bare metal cloud vs traditional cloud: key differences

Feature	Bare Metal Cloud	Traditional Cloud (VMs)
Hardware Access	Dedicated	Shared
Performance	High	Variable
Customization	Full	Limited
Virtualization	None	Hypervisor-based
Security	High isolation	Shared environment
Use Cases	AI, HPC, Compliance	General-purpose workloads

FAQs about bare metal cloud

It means you’re getting a physical server all to yourself—no virtual machines, no shared resources. You get full access to the hardware and can run any operating system or software you want, with no hypervisor in the way.

Bare metal cloud gives you raw physical hardware with no virtualization. Private cloud, on the other hand, typically uses virtual machines on a private stack—meaning you still share physical resources unless you pair it with bare metal.

It can be, especially for sustained or resource-intensive workloads. With bare metal, you’re not paying for shared infrastructure overhead or multi-tenant cloud markups. You get better performance-per-dollar and predictable costs.

Next steps for bare metal cloud hosting

Bare metal cloud is the right move when your workloads demand performance, control, and security—all without the unpredictability of shared cloud environments.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a dedicated server—or upgrade your server hosting—Liquid Web can help. Our dedicated server hosting options have been leading the industry for decades, because they’re fast, secure, and completely reliable. Choose your favorite OS and the management tier that works best for you.

Click below to explore dedicated server options or start a chat with one of our experts to learn more.