|
|
 |
|
 |
5 things to know before buying a
server | |
| back |
| If
you run a small business, this isn't news to you:
Most small businesses are strapped for cash. In
growing the business, anything but an absolute
necessity often gets pushed to the bottom of the
list. |
 |
1. |
Do your homework on when you
need one. |
|
2. |
Learn how to maximize the
advantages of having a
server. |
|
3. |
Recognize the costs
involved. |
|
4. |
Get the right
software. |
|
5. |
Learn networking basics, and
stay involved in the
implementation. | |
But
some purchases can actually help save time and
money. Such is the case of a specialized computer
and software solution called a server. A server
makes file sharing easier, security tighter and
backups easier. It's an investment that pays off
well over time.
If you have aspirations of
growing your business, you will want to invest in
one. But before you do so, consider these five
points. |
| 1.
Do your homework on when you need one. |
Ask
a tech consultant when to buy a server and you
might hear, "As soon as you have two computers."
If only it were that simple.
I knew I needed a
server to manage my network — it was becoming too
difficult to share information. At the time, I was
using a peer-to-peer network. Each computer
communicated with the others through a
hub.
That was fine for sharing an Internet
connection and transferring files. But
productivity came to a squelching halt when more
than one person needed access to the same file. It
got very old very quickly asking someone down the
hall to close our database so that I could update
it.
A server is designed to allow many users
access at one time without any decrease in
performance. It made a big difference for
me.
How do you know it's time to purchase a
server? Evaluate your setup. |
|
Are there snags in your
workflow? |
|
Do two or more people use the
same database? |
|
Would operations slow down or
stop, even for a small amount of time, if one
computer were to crash? |
|
Do you or your employees need
access to e-mail and files on the
road? | |
| If
you answered yes to any of these questions, it's
time to talk to a consultant, IT partner or
value-added reseller. They will evaluate your
current and future needs and make implementation
recommendations. |
| 2. |
Learn how to maximize the advantages
of having a
server. | |
There
are two huge advantages to integrating a server
into your network — faster workflow and tighter
security.
By centralizing databases and files,
it's easier to manage exchange and share
information between workstations. As an example to
illustrate this, let's look at an insurance
company with three claims adjusters. Without a
server, each adjuster would be responsible for
specific claims. Adjuster 1 would handle last
names beginning with A-I; adjuster 2, J-Q; and
adjuster 3, R-Z.
That's inefficient if adjuster
2 is bogged down with claims, and adjusters 1 and
3 have light workloads. And when adjuster 2 goes
on vacation, 1 and 3 will have to run to adjuster
2's desk constantly to look up information.
A
server and shared database eliminates all of this.
Any of the three adjusters would be able to assist
any client.
Also: |
|
The server can
be the primary backup point. Instead of
burning data files on disks, you can quickly
move them across the network. |
|
You can host
your e-mail. That allows you to have
your own domain and unique e-mail addresses. An
e-mail address of john.doe@johndoeinsurance.com
is more professional than
john.doe.insurance@igotafreeinternetaccount.com.
Also, most e-mail software allows you to
maintain network-wide address books, mailing
lists and calendars. |
|
You gain more
control over all that annoying spam. An
employee who opens an infected attachment could
easily infect all of your computers. But when
hosting your own e-mail, you can filter it so
that the good stuff comes in and most of the bad
stays out. |
|
You gain a
higher level of security. By requiring
computer users to log in and authenticate on a
domain, the server dictates who has access to
what. |
|
You can deploy
new software applications more easily through a
network. You also can standardize your
applications and versions, and make better use
of the software you
have. | |
| 3.
Recognize the costs involved. |
All
these advantages come at a price. Purchasing a
server (the word refers to both hardware and
software) is an investment, but not an inexpensive
one.
An entry-level server computer costs 0 to
,000. That gets you one processor and minimum
memory. Entry-level servers should be fine for
most organizations with 10 or fewer employees.
Businesses with more employees should consider a
general purpose server. Those start at ,000 and
can go as high as ,000.
Unlike desktop PCs,
most servers do not come with an operating
system... This allows up to five users to log in
and access the server. If you have more employees,
you'll need more licenses.
You'll probably need
a consultant, too, if you don't have a network
administrator. Installation and troubleshooting
can be complex.
Once you're up and running,
though, you may be able to manage the server
in-house. Windows Small Business Server 2003 is
relatively easy. Someone within your company with
computer knowledge and interest should be able to
handle day-to-day operations. In addition, classes
are offered around the country. |
| 4.
Get the right software. |
A
desktop PC can act as a server with the proper
software. However, this usually isn't a good
solution.
Most servers are built for
reliability. They're workhorses, designed to run
24 hours a day. They don't have cases that light
up and 0 video cards. You won't be using them to
play games and DVDs.
They generally offer
redundancy — hard drives, power supplies and fans.
If something fails, it can often be replaced
without taking the server down. For example, most
have multiple hard drives in a RAID (Redundant
Array of Independent Disks) configuration. This
allows you to store the same information on
different hard drives. If one hard drive fails,
another continues to run.
Large corporations
have dedicated servers. Individual servers perform
a single action — Web hosting, e-mail, database
management, and so on. This would be overkill for
many small companies.
Most server operating
systems have a small-business version, which
allows a single server to perform many functions.
For example, Windows Small Business Server 2003
Premium Edition acts as a printer, file, e-mail,
Web and relational database server. There are
other server operating systems as well — Linux,
Macintosh, and Novell, for instance.
When I
built my new Web site, my consultant insisted on
Linux. That's open-source software — it's low-cost
or free, but there's not much technical support.
If my Web server went down, I would have to call a
consultant, schedule a visit, troubleshoot the
problem and fix it. Meanwhile, my e-store and
advertising would be down. No thanks.
I stayed
with Microsoft. I have been running Windows NT on
my servers for years with few problems. When I've
had a problem, I've picked up the phone and gotten
a solution from Microsoft. I am planning to
upgrade to Windows Server 2003, the Microsoft
server operating system for larger networks. |
| 5. |
Learn networking basics, and stay
involved in the
implementation. | |
Even
if you are completely clueless about networks and
servers, force yourself to learn.
I once hired
a young man to take care of my network and servers
for me. The network started crashing and Internet
access was spotty on good days. One day, I found
him sleeping in the server room. His head was
resting on a pile of books on
hacking.
Realizing I didn't know any of the
administrative passwords, I asked him to show me
everything he had been doing. Then I showed him
the door.
Let this be a lesson to all. Even if
your eyes glaze over when you hear words like net
congestion, learn your networking basics (for
free, you can download
this guide to networking basics for small
businesses). You don't have to understand the
inner workings of everything. But you must know
enough to ask pertinent questions. |
| |
| back | |
| | | |
