A dedicated server is a one month commitment, possibly with a setup fee, Hetzner also charges to do things like replace failed drives.
You also don’t get the benefits of a virtualized instance like live migration for host maintenance. You can run your own hypervisor - but you’ll probably want extra hardware like 10Gb switches and the appropriate cross connects and as well as paying the one-time server move fee.
>Hetzner also charges to do things like replace failed drives
Are you sure?
If I look at the AX dedicated server page, I can read that the basic support is free:
"Basic support includes the free replacement of defective hardware and the renewed loading of the basic system (in so far as a disk image system can be loaded)."
They’ll replace the drive for free - but likely with another used disk with quite some hours of runtime under its belt. If you want a new disk you need to pony up most of the time.
You also don’t get the benefits of a virtualized instance like live migration for host maintenance. You can run your own hypervisor - but you’ll probably want extra hardware like 10Gb switches and the appropriate cross connects and as well as paying the one-time server move fee.