A server is essential to any business with IT infrastructure as it helps them access, manipulate and store data for daily operations and future use. Whether you are buying your first server or want to improve the efficiency of your existing ones, you have to take your time to weigh your options before making a decision.
Regardless of the size of the business, buying a server is a considerably huge investment meant to help the business perform tasks faster while storing more data. Getting a Custom Dedicated Hosting for your business can help lower the initial price of acquiring a server. And can scale with the growth of your business. In this article, we will be discussing the six things to consider when buying a server for your business.
Your business needs
Depending on the nature of your business, it might require you to choose a server that is suited to handle that type of work. Whether you run a restaurant or an online store, your business will need a server that can efficiently perform the required tasks without inconveniencing business operations. The main components you should consider include the processor, the RAM, and the hard drive, which indicate the amount of work the server can hold.
A small business just starting can do with the most basic server type in the market. This is because the number of tasks needed to be performed is low. As the company grows and becomes bigger in the number of employees and data, it requires the best server with the latest technology.
The initial and running cost
Whether you are financing or paying in cash, the initial cost of owning a server would be a big investment for your business. The only problem is that the server requires constant maintenance to ensure it operates at the expected level. Be prepared to pay high energy bills as the server consumes more power to both operate and cool. Apart from hardware, the server requires software to be able to operate effectively.
A big company would need more servers meaning they would need to rent out a facility to hold all the servers and ensure its data is safe. Security is also a factor that increases the cost of running your server. The more data your business generates, the more it will cost you to keep your data safe and servers operational.
Technical customer support
It is important to consider the technical support level you will need to operate your server. In-house servers will require you to take care of the server, requiring you to get a professional to ensure everything is working properly. Technical support is paramount when getting a server for a large business since many departments are involved, and the whole business could collapse if the system fails.
The growth in storage technology has made it easy for businesses to bypass the need for maintenance by outsourcing the job to someone else. The cloud services providers ensure the servers are always up and running with minimal to no downtime, which is essential for smooth operations in the business. The 24/7 customer service is always ready to help whenever you are stuck, making it a no-brainer for businesses to adopt.
Have your server onsite or outsourced
The debate of either having your server in-house or outsourcing it to data centers has a key role in the overall business decision. Each of the two has its advantages and disadvantages and can be a good choice for different types of businesses. On-site servers will require the business to purchase all the hardware, software, and networking needed for the server and the resources the server needs to operate.
The cost of having your server in-house can add up over time without mentioning the time it will cost you to maintain it to ensure it’s always operational. On the other hand, outsourcing can be a great way for a business to get into server technology and not worry about the technical tasks of setting up and maintaining the server.
Accessibility
Before buying a server, make sure you consider the flexibility of accessing it. Recent times have made employees more prone to working from home in response to the pandemic. A business would need to have a server that can be easily accessible from anywhere, giving employees the flexibility to work on their laptops away from the workplace.
Having a dedicated cloud server helps a business stay connected and allows employees to continue accessing the company’s server. Maintenance of the server can also be done remotely, making it stress-free to access the system and make the necessary updates and repairs to its software.
Server storage
The size of the internal storage of servers should be considered when buying servers. This server storage is determined by assessing the amount of work you expect the server to handle. Big organizations require huge storage space to handle the higher workload in their networks, making them fast and reliable. The size of the storage space in servers influences its price and efficiency.
Buying a server for your business can be overwhelming especially if it is the first time doing it. This article is a guide to help you choose the right server for your business and avoid the hassle of buying servers.
