Option comparison · Managed or Root

Move-in ready or bare shell: your choice

Both run on identical hardware. The difference is who takes care of the build-out: us, with server management, monitoring, backup and support at the web server level, or you, with full root access. The comparison below helps you decide.

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Managed from CHF 169.– per month Root from CHF 20.70 per month Identical hardware

Which One When? Comparison FAQ

Which one when?

Two models, the same base

Even though Managed Server and Root Server are built on the same base, they serve different needs. This page helps you assess which model fits your team and your project, with no judgement either way: both are equally the right choice with us, as long as they match what you actually need.

Managed Server

“We want a fast website without having to maintain servers.”

You don't have your own sysadmin resources, or don't want to spend them here
You work with a standard software stack (e.g. a web and a database service)
You want to focus on your application instead of server operations
You value guaranteed response times and automated backup
Go to Managed Server →

Root Server

“We need our own hardware and full independence.”

You have your own root/sysadmin experience in-house
You want full control over the operating system, kernel and software stack
You want to run an operating system other than Ubuntu
You are ready to take on updates, security and backup yourself
Root Server comparison →

Managed or Root

Who runs day-to-day operations?

Managed Servers take operations off your hands, in exchange for restricted access. Root Servers give you full control and full responsibility. Both run on the same underlying hardware.

	Managed Server	Root Server
Access rights	No privileged access, access is limited to unprivileged users. Largely self-service management of vHosts and databases via nine-manage-vhosts and nine-manage-databases.	Full root access via SSH, complete administrative control over the system
Installation & operations	We install and configure the software we provide, including ongoing security updates and protection against SSH and FTP brute-force attacks, as well as additional PHP modules and Ubuntu packages on request	We install the operating system, setup and management of services is entirely up to you
Monitoring	24/7 monitoring of services, disk space and RAID status included, with automatic notification if something looks off	Your own responsibility
Backup	Daily database dumps plus a 7-day file backup to two separate storage systems included, retention can be extended for a fee	S3-compatible storage available for your own backups, setup (e.g. via duplicity) is up to you
Operating system	Ubuntu LTS, managed and patched by us, switching to a different distribution isn't possible	Root CloudVM: Ubuntu LTS, Debian or Rocky Linux directly selectable. Root Dedicated Server: Ubuntu LTS pre-installed, other distributions can be installed yourself via IP-KVM if needed (free for initial setup, chargeable afterwards)
SLA	Basic SLA included in the base price, optionally upgradable to 99.5%, 99.75% or 99.9% uptime	Not available
Pricing rationale	Higher cost, because server management, monitoring and support are already included	Lower cost, because you run operations yourself
Starting price	CHF 169.–/month (Managed nV4) or CHF 393.–/month (Managed Dedicated Server)	CHF 233.–/month (Root Dedicated Server) or CHF 20.70/month (Root CloudVM nine-small-1)

For details on the variants, see our Managed Server page and the Root Server comparison.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Managed Server and Root Server

I have a Root Server but I'm stuck on a problem. Can you still help me?

Support for setting up and managing services on a Root Server is deliberately not part of the product, since you have full control and full responsibility there. After delivery, we no longer have access to your Root Server ourselves. For hardware defects or issues with the infrastructure we provide, we're of course here for you. If you need ongoing help with software, configuration and operations, switching to a Managed Dedicated Server or Managed Virtual Server is the easiest way to get that.

Can I switch from Managed Server to Root Server, or the other way around?

Yes, switching is possible at any time. Since both products are built on different operating models, it isn't a simple upgrade but a move to a new instance. We're happy to advise you on what makes sense for your use case.

Is an SLA available for Root Server?

SLAs with guaranteed response times and service credits aren't available for Root Server. If that matters for your workload, our Managed Server offers an optional SLA on top.

Can I install an operating system other than Ubuntu on a Root Server?

Depends on the variant. With a Root CloudVM, you can choose between Ubuntu LTS, Debian and Rocky Linux right at setup. A Root Dedicated Server ships with Ubuntu LTS pre-installed, but you can install a different Linux distribution yourself via IP-KVM if needed (free for initial setup, chargeable for later use). That isn't possible on a Managed Server, where we manage and patch Ubuntu LTS for you.

Why do you offer two different models at all?

Because different teams have different needs. If you have your own sysadmin know-how and want full control, a Root Server is the more cost-effective option. If you'd rather focus on your own application, you benefit from the server management that comes with a Managed Server. Neither model is inherently the better choice, it depends on your team and your project.

Can I make root-like customisations on a Managed Server?

No. On Managed Servers, we generally don't allow privileged access. Desired functionality can often be achieved through a user-space installation instead. For custom software or configurations outside our Managed Services definition, a Root Server is the right fit.

Does a Managed Server run on the same hardware as a Root Server?

Yes. Managed Dedicated Server and Root Dedicated Server run on identical physical hardware, Managed Virtual Server and Root CloudVM on the same virtualised infrastructure. See our Managed Server page and the Root Server comparison for details.

From the docs

Go deeper on docs.nine.ch

Documentation

Managed Server overview →Server types, sizes and what server management includes. What server management includes →What we take care of on a Managed Server. Root Server →Root Dedicated Server and Root CloudVM with prices. Back up a Root Server →How to set up your own backups.

One provider

One provider, from rack to app.

From colocation to Root and Managed Products, platforms and services: all with us, in our Swiss data centres. Grow from one layer to the next without switching providers.

One Swiss teamGrow without switching providers

Services

Databases Key-Value Store OpenSearch SLA Monitoring Managed Services Cloudflare

Platform Products

Deploio vCluster Airlock Microgateway WAF

Managed Products

Managed Dedicated Server Managed GPU Server Managed Kubernetes

Root Products

Root Dedicated Server Root CloudVM Root GPU Server

Storage & Backup

Object Storage

Colocation & Housing