Introduction
Email is basically essential for us all / everyday. It is (usually) a reliable and fast way of exchanging information, that is until it isn’t : / emails can be hacked, spammed or lost, and if the server has problems then they can go down leaving you totally stuck. One way to help mitigate email issues and add some redundancy to your infrastructure is to use a separate, dedicated email server. In this article, we will discuss why email servers should be separate from your website hosting server and the benefits this approach brings.
Increased Security
One of the most significant reasons why email servers should be separate from hosting servers is security. When email and websites are hosted on the same server, it becomes easier for hackers to access both as email servers often contain sensitive data such as passwords, personally identifiable information (PII), and other confidential information security of this data is a top priority. By hosting the email server separately, you increase security by limiting the access points to your website server.
Noisy neighbours, when a website and email server share the same IP address, the risk of being blacklisted by email providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook increases. If one email account on the server is compromised and begins to send spam, it can affect the entire server’s reputation, including your website. This can lead to emails being blocked / blacklisted by email providers, separating your email server from your hosting server can help avoid this problem.
Performance
Having a separate email server will improve the performance of your website. Emails can take up a lot of resources on your hosting server, resulting in website performance issues. Separating the email server will reduce the load on your hosting server boosting performance and serving web pages more efficiently resulting in faster website load times, better user experience, and improved search engine optimisation (SEO) rankings.
Reliability
Emails are critical means of communication that should always be available. If your hosting server experiences downtime or crashes, it can bring down your email services as well. Having a separate email server ensures that your email services remain up and running even if your hosting server experiences issues, meaning you wont miss any essential emails, and your clients and customers will always be able to reach you.
Cost
Keeping your email server separate from your hosting server may seem like an additional expense at first, but it can actually save you money in the long run. When your email and website share the same server, you may need to upgrade your hosting plan to accommodate the extra resources needed for email services, which can be costly. However, by using a separate email server, you have the flexibility to choose a more affordable hosting package that meets your website’s needs without worrying about email resources. This way, you can save money and ensure smooth operations for both your website and email services.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to have a dedicated email server for your website. This provides various advantages, such as enhanced security, improved performance, increased reliability, and cost-effectiveness. If you currently have your email and website hosted on the same server, it is worth considering separating them. This will allow you to bolster the security of your website and email, optimise the performance of your website, ensure uninterrupted email services, and potentially save money by opting for a more affordable hosting plan.