If you are a business and utilize a few computers to share information and the internet, a server is something you should consider venturing into. Servers help streamline business operations and productivity but are also affordable and able to store and manage data 24×7.
How to Find Out If Your Business Needs a Server?
If you are confused about whether you should go for a server, here are the pointers to help you decide.
- Your office has more than one computer to access the internet and other office equipment.
- You need to store data and files effectively and prevent unauthorized access and malware attacks.
- If you want to securely access your files remotely, back up your critical files on several computers or backup files that got accidentally deleted.
- As a business, you use accounting, relationship management programs, and similar things to communicate with your customers.
- You use a centralized medium to communicate and share information with clients, staff, and vendors.
How to Select a Server for Your Business?
Once evaluating your business needs, it’s time to decide on the server to fulfill those requirements. Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, a server can turn out to be the most influential component for your business’s success. Hence, finding a suitable server is essential. To get started, here are five questions you should consider addressing.
- What Server Type Best Fits Your Needs?
To find an answer to this, you need to address free more questions like, what business goals do you want to accomplish? How much office space for you have to spare for the server? That is so because servers come in many shapes and sizes, categorized into racks, towers, and blades. So, here one size fits all don’t work.
When considering rack servers, they are designed to install within a rack chassis (box) that can hold multiple servers at once. These servers are the best option if you are planning to scale your business and want to integrate IT.
On the other hand, Tower servers are stand-alone devices that occupy the least amount of floor space. You can fit them underneath or on top of your office desk. They come with plenty of power and work exactly like a computer. Also, they are comparatively quieter. But these servers are ideal only if you have a few working computers in the office. If you want to manage large computer devices, these servers are not the best option as they take up a lot of space if you plan to scale and add more servers.
- How Are You Going to Utilize Your Server?
First, you need to determine what tasks you will be performing. Based on your decision, you need to consider hardware to get the most benefit out of your server. Will you need a server to print or email, or do you need it to manage databases and business applications? The type of applications your business uses will determine the type of processor, memory, and storage capacity you will need.
Another factor you should consider is hot-swappable components for easy maintenance and repair without interruption and to reduce downtime.
- How Much Are You Willing to Spend on Server Deployment?
Servers are available at different price points, depending on your workload. So, it’s up to you to decide what workload you want to run on a server. But make sure to consider your long-term plans. Because, in the long run, efficient servers prove to be cost-effective. Select a server that can keep up with your growing needs. Having scalability benefits ensures potential savings and up-to-date hardware.
- Are You Anticipating Future Growth in Your Business?
When considering scalability, you must know how many people will access the server and how much power you use today. Then think about the future and how your needs will change over time. Try going for a scalable product, as it can impact on your cost of ownership. In short, select a server that grows with your needs.
- How Do You Want to Protect Your Data?
The more we become digitized, the more we become prone to cyber threats, breaches, and other virtual attacks. So, to prevent such malicious attacks, a server plays a critical role in your business. Hence, selecting the appropriate server can drive your business toward the intended growth and goals. If you want to buy a reliable, affordable, and scalable business server, consider buying one or two-socket rack or tower servers.
Conclusion:
These simple questions can help you shortlist your server options for your needs. Also, if you are ready to shop for one, consider the specs wisely and how they will help you in the long run. Remember, nothing is set in stone. It all depends on your needs.