Do you have more than 4 employees that use computers?
If you do, you should have a server.
Implementing a network and server isn’t easy or inexpensive. However, the benefits you gain far outweigh the costs.
It is surprising how many companies do not implement client/server based networks. Many businesses just continued adding workstations to their old peer-to-peer network. A Peer-to-peer network doesn’t provide much in the way of security and resource sharing. They often have problems accessing workstations and lose data due to viruses or spyware; they may also experience intermittent Internet problems. PCs networked in a peer-to-peer fashion are adequate when you only have a few users on the network, but once you have more than 4 concurrent users on your network, it’s time to consider investing in a network server.
Unlike large corporations, many small businesses don’t have the IT department or the deep pockets necessary to maintain a complex IT infrastructure. Implementing network servers doesn’t have to be overly expensive or complex for you to benefit from them.
A server is different than a typical PC. A desktop system is designed to run a user-friendly operating system, desktop applications, and other desktop oriented functions. Even if the desktop had similar processors, memory and storage, it not the same as a real server. They are designed for different purposes.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, servers are engineered to manage, store, send and process data. A server needs to be far more reliable than a similar configured desktop. Servers offer a variety of features not typically found in a desktop PC.
Servers may have:
- More than one processor
- Redundant hard drives or power supplies
- Components that are hot swappable
- Ability to be scalable
- Ability to process data faster and more efficiently
Some of the more important server functions are the following:
- Centralized Backup
- Increased reliability
- Centralized data storage and shared resources
- File and Network security
- Anti-virus management
Servers are the unsung heroes of the corporate computing environment, working behind the scenes to help get the maximum benefit from the personal computers that people use every day. Before investing in server hardware, you need to consider applications, storage, processor, form factor, and more to help you choose wisely.
If you don’t have the experience or expertise to evaluate your server requirements, you need to find a trusted IT organization to help you. Whomever you choose to work with should walk you through the process and show you why the server is configured correctly for your organization. Consider your business processes for today and for the future.
Written By: Scott Fluty, President/CEO
CCNY Tech is an IT sales and services company. For over 25 years, CCNY Tech has been supplying IT equipment, Oracle Sun Servers as well as providing maintenance and IT recycling services. Partnering with some of the top brands in the industry, they are experts in equipment and custom configurations. CCNY Tech IT professionals provides custom solutions to businesses of all sizes. Learn more at ccnytech.com.