Table of contents
What does “bare metal” mean?Key characteristicsBare metal vs virtual machinesBenefitsCommon use casesBare metal vs cloudFAQ
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What is bare metal?

Bare metal is a physical server that runs your operating system directly on the hardware. There is no hypervisor or shared virtual layer. This setup provides full control, delivers consistent performance, and offers strong, single-tenant security. Choose bare metal when you need maximum power for resource-intensive apps or must protect sensitive data.
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What does “bare metal” mean?

In computing, bare metal refers to a physical server that isn’t running a hypervisor, shared operating system, or virtual machine layer. You interact directly with the hardware. This includes installing an OS, configuring BIOS settings, or optimizing performance.

Bare metal servers differ from cloud or virtual servers. No abstraction layer exists between your software and the server’s CPU, RAM, storage, and I/O.

Key characteristics of bare metal servers

Bare metal servers provide dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage, ensuring that 100% of the server’s resources are available to a single customer. This is ideal for applications that demand consistent, high-level performance.

Some of the characteristics of bare metal servers are:

  • Dedicated resources, no sharing: You never share CPU cycles, RAM, storage, or network IOPS, so workloads run at full, predictable capacity. All compute, memory, and storage are 100% yours.
  • Full control over software and OS: Install any Linux or Windows distribution, compile custom kernels, and tweak BIOS or firmware settings to match your needs.
  • High performance and low latency: No virtualization overhead means bare metal delivers faster processing and responsiveness, which is ideal for real-time apps and compute-heavy tasks.
  • Stronger isolation and security: Physical isolation simplifies HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and other compliance requirements and enhances data privacy while eliminating “noisy neighbor” risks.
  • Direct-to-hardware programming: Talk straight to GPUs, NVMe drives, or specialized accelerator cards for workloads that demand low-level tuning. This is critical for embedded systems, specialized workloads, and performance-tuned environments.

Taken together, these capabilities give bare metal its reputation as the go-to foundation for high-stakes, performance-hungry infrastructure.

What is a bare metal server?

A bare metal server is a physical computer dedicated to one user. It provides exclusive access to all hardware resources. Unlike virtual servers, bare metal servers run applications directly on hardware.

Bare metal servers excel for:

  • Database hosting requiring consistent IOPS.
  • Gaming servers needing low latency.
  • Financial applications demanding security.
  • Development environments requiring full control.

Bare metal programming explained

Bare metal programming is writing code that runs directly on hardware. Developers bypass operating systems and virtualization layers. This approach provides maximum control over system resources.

Applications include:

  • Embedded systems development.
  • Bootloader creation.
  • Firmware programming.
  • Real-time system design.

Understanding bare metal software

Bare metal software operates directly on physical hardware. These applications run without an OS layer, so performance-critical systems often use bare metal software.

Common examples:

  • Type 1 hypervisors.
  • Network operating systems.
  • Industrial control software.
  • Custom firmware.

Bare metal vs virtual machines (VMs)

A bare metal server is a single-tenant physical machine that runs an operating system directly on its hardware. A virtual machine is a software-defined instance that lives inside a hypervisor, which manages multiple users on one physical host.

FeatureBare metal serverVirtual machine
Resource allocation100 % dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage.Shared slices of host resources.
Performance consistencyPredictable, no hypervisor overhead.Varies with neighbor activity.
Control levelFull root access, BIOS and firmware settings.Limited to guest OS settings.
Security isolationSingle-tenant hardware.Multi-tenant environment.
Provisioning timeMinutes to hours, depends on hardware build.Seconds to minutes, created from templates.
Scalability pathManual upgrades or API-based automation.Elastic scaling inside the cloud.

Benefits of using bare metal servers

Bare metal infrastructure excels when you need maximum performance and control. The main benefits of using bare metal hosting include:

  • High performance. Direct access to the CPU, RAM, and NVMe storage removes latency introduced by a hypervisor.
  • Stronger security. Single-tenant hardware helps meet HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or FedRAMP requirements without “noisy neighbor” risks.
  • Complete customization. Install any operating system, adjust kernel parameters, or add GPU and FPGA cards to match your workload.
  • Consistent throughput. Resource guarantees keep real-time apps, for gaming, video, and VoIP, running smoothly.
  • Optimized private clouds. Build Kubernetes clusters or virtualization stacks on a stable, hardware-level foundation.

Common use cases for bare metal hosting

Bare metal excels when you need more horsepower, tighter security, or total control of your server stack.

Real-time applications

Real-time software delivers data or interactions the instant a user performs an action. Multiplayer games, live video chats, VoIP calls, and AR/VR platforms fall into this group. A bare metal server removes virtualization latency, so every frame, packet, or voice snippet arrives on time.

AI and machine learning

AI/ML projects train and run models that consume huge CPU, GPU, and memory resources. Data scientists and engineers use bare metal for training models, running inference engines, and scaling GPU workloads without virtualization bottlenecks.

High-security workloads

Regulated industries, such as healthcare (HIPAA), finance (PCI-DSS), and the government (FedRAMP), handle data that must stay isolated. Single-tenant bare metal hardware keeps neighbors out, makes audits simpler, and supports custom firewalls or HSMs.

Private cloud infrastructure

A private cloud is a self-managed environment running containers, Kubernetes, or traditional virtualization for internal teams. Building that stack on a bare metal server guarantees predictable performance and keeps full control over hypervisors, storage, and networking.

Media streaming and content delivery

Streaming services move large audio and video files to users in real time. Dedicated bandwidth and disk I/O on bare metal minimize buffering and keep global audiences happy, even at peak traffic.

Bare metal vs cloud: complementary or competitive?

While cloud platforms emphasize elasticity and managed services, bare metal gives you raw compute power and direct control. They’re not mutually exclusive.

  • Hybrid cloud: Use bare metal for base infrastructure and scale with cloud VMs as needed
  • Private cloud: Run your own virtualization or container stack on bare metal
  • Cloud-native tools: Tools like Terraform and Ansible can automate bare metal provisioning in modern environments

Bare metal with cloud APIs lets you blend performance and flexibility in one environment.

Bare Metal as a Service (BMaaS)

BMaaS delivers the feel of cloud with the power of hardware. You rent a physical server, which is already racked, networked, and monitored, through an on-demand portal or API. Key points:

  • Speed of cloud. Deploy, resize, or rebuild bare metal in minutes, not days.
  • Full tenancy. Enjoy dedicated CPU, RAM, and disks with no “noisy neighbor” effects.
  • Unified toolchain. Use the same infrastructure-as-code scripts for BMaaS nodes and cloud VMs, simplifying workflows.
  • Cost clarity. Pay for the exact hardware you order, with predictable monthly or hourly pricing.

With BMaaS, you get both raw performance and cloud agility, combining them. Spin up a powerful bare metal server for your core workload, keep cloud instances ready for sudden surges, and manage everything through a single pane of glass.

Bare metal FAQs

It refers to a physical server without any virtual layer. You control the OS, software stack, and hardware resources directly.

The correct term is bare metal. “Bear metal” is a common typo. The server has been stripped bare, but has nothing in common with a bear. 

It means installing software directly on a physical server, without virtualization. You manage the OS, drivers, and system configuration from the ground up.

A bare metal server is a physical server that is dedicated to a single customer, with no virtualization layer between the operating system and the hardware. Your OS runs directly on the server’s CPU, RAM, and storage, which eliminates hypervisor overhead and maximizes performance.

In practical terms, bare metal and dedicated servers are often the same thing. Both provide exclusive access to physical hardware, full control over server configuration, and predictable performance. The term “bare metal” emphasizes that the server is not virtualized and not shared with other tenants, while “dedicated server” focuses on the fact that the hardware is assigned exclusively to you.

At Liquid Web, bare metal servers deliver single-tenant hardware, high-performance CPUs, customizable RAM and storage options, and full root access. They are ideal for high-traffic websites, ecommerce stores, large databases, gaming servers, AI workloads, and other resource-intensive applications that require consistent performance and isolation.

The cost of a bare metal server depends on the hardware configuration, management level, and additional services you select. Monthly pricing typically varies based on:

  • CPU type and core count
  • Amount of RAM
  • NVMe or SSD storage capacity
  • Bandwidth allocation
  • Control panels or licensing
  • Backup and security add-ons

Entry-level bare metal servers generally start around the lower hundreds per month, while high-performance configurations with large memory allocations and advanced CPUs can cost several hundred dollars per month or more.

Because bare metal servers are customizable, the final monthly price depends on your exact workload requirements. Businesses running ecommerce platforms, SaaS applications, large databases, or AI workloads should expect pricing to scale with performance needs.

For an accurate monthly cost, select your preferred CPU, RAM, and storage configuration to generate real-time pricing based on your requirements.

Additional resources

Bare metal vs hypervisor →

Key differences between bare metal and hypervisors, and some of their best functions and use cases

What is bare metal programming? →

Benefits, challenges, use cases, and more

IaaS vs bare metal →

Definitions, differences, and how to choose

Zachary Armstrong is a writer who specializes in breaking down complex subjects and making them easy to understand. He has a passion for technology, believes it can change the world for the better, and wants to tell the whole world about it.