As opposed to shared web hosting, dedicated server web hosting is a form of web hosting where you lease an entire server that is not shared with any other websites.

Whether or not a dedicated hosting provider offers server management varies from host to host. In some cases management is an add-on that will cost extra. If the server is managed by the hosting provider you should investigate exactly which processes are managed by the provider. For example, will they update operating systems and take care of security systems such as firewall services, and so on.

A dedicated server offers more flexibility and full control over operating systems and hardware but also comes at a higher price. For those that would like to get the main benefits from a dedicated server environment, but don't have the budget for it, a Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a good alternative. Read more about VPS servers here.