There comes a point where every business considers adding a server to their network to streamline processes and make workers more productive. You may have already contacted a local business computer support provider. Most will try to sell you a server by telling you how many new features you'll be able to take advantage of. However, before making the plunge, here are some things to consider.
· Hardware cost. Servers typically cost a lot more than a standard desktop computer. Prices can range from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 +. Some servers come with built-in redundancy to keep the server running all the time, even if a given piece of hardware fails. Even though these redundancy options cost more, think of the cost to you if your server goes down in the middle of the morning and can't be repaired for 24+ hours. Most stores don't stock server parts, so a little redundancy goes a long way, even if you pay more for it up front.
· Backups. What do you do for backups now? An alluring reason for getting a server is having a central place for all your workstations to send their backups to. You still need to backup the server! Once a server is in your network and people are using it, the amount of data stored on the server will grow rapidly. You need to have some type of backup solution in place to backup the server and all it's data. One option might be setting up RAID 1, which mirrors data across multiple hard drives. Every week, you can swap out one of the drives to an off-site location. Another option would be on line backup services, but one thing to consider is those services usually charge by the size of your data you're backing up, so it can get expensive quick.
· Server software can cost a lot, especially for per-user licensing. Sure, there are a lot of very useful applications available to run on servers. But because software vendors know it's going on a server, they charge more than a pretty penny to use their software. Usually it's a cost that is renewed every year, and price is usually based on how many users you currently have using that piece of software. It might not be too bad for one application, but when you start adding everything up it's typically one of the most expensive parts of owning a server.
· More things to fail. When you add a server into your network, it's just one more thing that can break. Servers are designed in theory to be more stable than normal operating systems, but servers still rely upon microchips and solder to function. There's also a lot of coding in server applications, so you're just increasing the odds of finding an unfortunate software bug or "glitch." If your users are hosting files on the server, you have to examine your network infrastructure as well. If you have a network switch or router fail, all your workstations may lose access to anything stored on the server.
· IT Providers try to up-sell you. It may be hard to believe (sometimes not), but IT service providers are trying to make money. How can these providers make more money? By selling server software. Some software companies offer quite a nice commission to the IT provider selling the software. Sometimes, this extra commission is enough to encourage the IT companies to push this software to their clients. It's not always in the client's best interest. Another example is Microsoft requires IT providers to sell a certain amount of server-based licenses and software in order to move up in the Microsoft Partner Program. It's not just based on how competent the IT provider is, but how much software they can sell in a given year.
Having a server in your network may be a wise business choice, sometimes it's not. Choosing the right business IT support provider is arguably the most important step of the whole process. Only someone with experience in server installs and maintenance can truly know the impact financially and the reliability of certain server-based network installs. Call around, get server opinions and research all the options before making a snap-decision to get a server installed in your company.
Article Source: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?expert=Will_Luker |
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