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HOW TO CHOOSE A SERVER FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

So, your business has grown large enough that you need your first server for further growth. Congratulations! It's a big decision to buy a computer, so some hesitancy can be expected. This guide will describe the basic principles of the technology, help you to decide which server class is best suited to your needs, and give you some ballpark pricing so you don't need to spend too much or buy a product that is not enough for you.

I'm also going to explore the biggest option to run your server based on the cloud and provide an introduction on one of the hottest server developments today: virtualization. Even if you decide to hire an IT professional to evaluate your needs and make a purchasing suggestion, you can find this guide useful.

Basics Server 

Although a small server may look no different than a high-end desktop PC, the machines are designed for very different tasks. A desktop computer is designed to run desktop applications like a word processor, a spreadsheet, an email client, and a web browser for one person who needs a user-friendly operating system. A server runs an operating system designed to support a large number of users. Multi-user systems such as email, fax, and print services, collaborative scheduling programs, databases, and enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software are designed to run.

A server also allows data sharing and collaboration easier for your employees as it works as a central repository for all your documents, photos, contacts, and other essential information. It can host a business intranet to easily and efficiently share information with your employees.

Set up a virtual private network, and from anywhere you have Internet access, you and your employees can access data on the server remotely. Also, a server will automatically back up your desktop and laptop computers, so if one computer fails or is lost or stolen, you will never lose critical data.

If you're running a small to medium-sized business, the question isn't "Do I need a server?" but "What kind of server? However, before we get into that, let's discuss the number one alternative to operating and maintaining a server on-site: relying on the cloud.

Cloud Alternative

Why not have it all in the cloud? A variety of opportunities are provided by providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Windows Azure, and Rackspace Cloud Hosting. For example, they do not require a significant capital outlay, and to manage the server you will not need an IT team.

You did not have to worry about having old or outdated equipment or software either. This technique was called "time-sharing" in the days when companies rely on big-iron mainframes, and the cloud is burdened with many of the same limitations as that model.

Your first and most important concern is the stability and reliability of whichever service provider you choose. If that company goes belly-up or is going through a disaster, your business could quickly come to a halt. What's worse is that you might lose access to all your data temporarily or permanently.

If you lose your internet connection, you will be cut off from your apps and records, and files will not be accessible by your employees. When your Internet connection is restored, you can lose the ability to manage your business. And if your business uses large files and your connection to internet service is too slow, the efficiency of your operation will be affected.

Saving your equipment data anywhere in your immediate control also creates privacy concerns and safety. And although you are not paying for an IT staff, ongoing maintenance, and investments in new capital equipment, you are still indirectly incurring a share of those costs, they are reflected in the fees which you pay the service provider. There is no cure-all in the cloud.

Choose the right Server for according to your needs

Dell, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Lenovo, and Oracle are the great players on the server market. Choosing the right server depends on the programs you are planning to run on it to a large extent. The major players in this arena, if you need is file sharing, automated client backup, and light-duty remote access for PCs (typically ten or fewer), consider a NAS or even also a Windows Home Server machine; HP, Netgear, QNAP, Seagate, and Synology. If your company has more than 10 staff using computers you must run an email or print server, manage a complex database or run sophisticated server-based applications (such as ERP or CRM) and if you have very high storage requirements, or if you need large-scale virtualization capabilities, you'll want a more reliable option like a tower, rack, or blade server.

The Primer Virtual-Machine

Before I go into a clear explanation in each of these server types, for anyone who might be unfamiliar with the concept, here is a quick primer on virtualization. Before I go into a clear explanation on each of these server types, for anyone who might be unfamiliar with the concept, here is a quick primer on virtualization. Small to medium-sized businesses have so far been behind the curve when it comes to virtualization, but technology can bring benefits to enterprises of almost any size as it helps the business to make more effective use of IT resources.

Virtualization allows one server to act as multiple servers, each with its operating system and unique set of applications. A virtual machine is software-only, but it has all the physical computer components: it has a motherboard, a CPU, a hard disk, a network controller, etc. They see no difference between the two environments as they would on a physical machine, the operating system and other applications run on a virtual machine.

A system called a hypervisor places an abstraction layer between the operating systems and the hardware in virtualization. The hypervisor will run multiple virtual machines on the same physical server with the same operating system or different OSs. Microsoft, Oracle, and VMware are among the prominent developers of virtual machines.

How does virtualization make your IT services most efficient? Most of the time they are underplayed because Servers are designed to accommodate peak, versus average loads. The average server uses just 5 to 15 percent of its total resources. Running multiple virtual machines on one physical server allows more efficient use of these resources, increasing use to between 60 and 80%. You can run all these programs on multiple virtual machines running on the same physical hardware rather than running one physical server for email, one for database management, one for your intranet and another for CRM. On several virtual machines operating on the same physical hardware, you can run all of these applications.

Virtualization decreases the need for additional physical servers, and overhead technical support, fuel, cooling, backup, physical space, and other requirements. What's more, a new virtual server can be installed in a few minutes.

Now let's look at today's market's various server options starting with the most basic.