How to Select a Server for Your Business? Key Selection Criteria

Why Choosing the Right Server for Your Business is so Important?

Servers completely transform the way businesses function. Tech advancements have significantly enhanced their efficiency and decreased their costs. So, if you’ve put the decision of buying a server on your back burner, it’s time to bring it to the forefront. Managing a ton of devices to run your business is a huge hassle. However, servers can help your business back-up data, manage administration, share files across teams, and host databases.

Having a good server easeus data center management and decreases administration costs significantly. Does it feel overwhelming to choose amidst so many server options? We’re here to solve your issues through our comprehensive server buying guide.

What 6 Criteria Should You Consider When Selecting a Server for Business?

Check if Cloud-based Servers Fulfill your Needs

When you think of a server, you may imagine huge server rooms within premises with many tall devices. However, many small businesses will find it difficult to invest such a huge sum on physical servers. The good news is that now you have the option to opt for cloud-based servers. If you’re concerned about space and maintenance costs of a server, you can consider going for cloud services. By 2021, cloud workloads will increase to 94 percent of all data centers workload.

If your business does need a lot of security and control over data, you should install physical servers in your office. These servers give you hands-on access to your hardware and software backend and offer faster reconfiguration choices. If these benefits interest you, consider learning how to choose a dedicated server.

Evaluate the Applications you Plan to Run

As a business owner, comparing technical specs of different servers will not be easy for you. So, instead try to understand what applications you run, back-track by considering how much processing power or memory they need. Here are some tips on how to pick the right processor, RAM, and hard drive for your business:

• Research yourself
• List all apps you want to host on the server
• Find out the number of users your app handles right now and estimate future user volume
• Type these requirements in Google and read extensively about others’ experience, tests, and recommendations on server resources
• Conduct this process for every application and keep the least buffer of 20 percent to accommodate future surges.
• Consult a server expert
• List all the apps you’ll run on the server
• Get in touch with our experts
• We’ll help you match with the right server

Select Most Suitable Operating System for Your Business Server

One of the most important decisions while buying a server is to select the right operating system. Linux-based systems are the most famous operating system for servers. Experts prefer it because it’s typically free, and can use great-quality open-source software. On the other hand, learning to use Linux-based systems to your advantage has a steep curve. So, it may not be the perfect choice for small businesses that want a simple system that operates well.

You could use either Android, Apple iOS, Windows, and Ubuntu for your small business. In 2019, the Windows server constitutes 72.1 percent of servers globally. Linux operating system’s share stands at 13.6 percent of worldwide servers.

Pay Attention to the Server’s Physical Shape

If you’re opting for a physical server, you could choose either of the three main categories: rack, tower, and blade. Depending on the size of your company, you can easily pick a server for your needs. For small businesses with less than 15 staff members, a few tower servers will do. They’re the cheapest option and don’t need cooling facilities. Additionally, if you opt for a high-end tower server model, you’ll enjoy the benefits of virtualization.

When your company grows further and you need to upgrade your servers, choose rack servers. They’ll take up a lot less space as compared to tower servers. However, you’ll need to budget for cooling equipment for these servers to keep them functional for a long time. Blade servers can handle a greater data workload but need more cooling facilities.

Consider IT Staff and Maintenance Capabilities

If you’re leaning towards on-premise, you’ll also factor in hardware, software, and server rack maintenance costs. You’ll also need to understand the costs to store, cool, and power your resources. Additionally, you may have to hire IT staff to keep your systems running properly. You could outsource your server maintenance to an efficient service provider. To avoid maintenance hassles, you could also consider cloud-based servers. However, you’ll have to think about securing data and protecting from fraud when you opt for cloud-based services.

So, always choose someone you trust to handle your data properly. Small businesses need to shell out nearly $170 monthly to maintain their websites.

‍Make Sure your Choice is Affordable

Budgetary constraints also play a major role in getting a server. Companies need to understand the capital they need to house, install, and maintain a server. Depending on company size, you should understand how many servers you need and how much each of them costs. A dedicated server room may cost you around at least $10,000 per month.

Additionally, with physical server hardware, you’ll always be at risk of overspending your revenue and never realize its true potential. However, if you lease space from a data center, you’ll have a direct expense that’s easy to track and maintain. With cloud server solutions, your company can pay only for the resources you need and when you need them. These solutions take care of all your needs so that you focus on scaling your business. The best part is that these solutions grow as you grow and can support additional data workload easily.

‍Conclusion

As a small business owner, you need to understand how to honor your data and treat it right. If you choose a cheap option and compromise on data security, you’ll regret it. However, if you focus too much on security, you’re likely to over budget. So, plan properly and consult an expert if you’re confused.