What to Consider When Buying a New Server

A computer/network server represents one of the largest investments a business, fledgling or otherwise, makes. Additionally, a purchase like this often represents a long-term commitment. If you wish to avoid being saddled with a sub-optimal server that you might have to replace, it is vital to do research on any potential product your business might buy. Things like driver-support, connectivity, scalability, and redundancy all matter, but it can be difficult to know what to look for when you find your business in the network server market. It is an IT infrastructure that need IT maintenance. In the space below, we take a further look at some of the factors you want to consider when buying a new server.

Scalability

A server might look optimal for your business when you have fewer employees and client/customer demands. However, as your business grows, that server could prove fundamentally unable to perform the tasks at hand now that your needs have grown. If you suspect your business might grow, you want to specifically ask for things such as multiple drives and room within the chassis for expansion and always look at maximum storage capacity. A server that works for you today may not meet your needs tomorrow. Fortunately, several network servers come equipped with the expectation of scale.

Redundancy

Most businesses cannot afford the risk of losing critical data or information of any kind. An interrupted task resulting in memory loss can spell the end for critical deals and operations. Since your business likely cannot afford this setback, you want to look for redundancy in a server, as counterintuitive as that may seem. Basically, redundancy means a server uses multiple parts that complete a single function. This means a server might have two separate power outlets or multiple memory banks. You want to make sure a server has redundant parts because it is critical for a business to have security if something were to go wrong.

Size and Space

This one might seem obvious, but a server’s physical size plays an important role and it is a quality that is too often overlooked and regretted later by businesses. Network Servers are notorious for their unwieldy size. Form factor is important and a server that needs the support of a rack can hardly be expected to run optimally in an environment not suited to it. You need to make sure you have an environment with decent airflow because Servers often run hot. Fortunately, this is an easy one to look out for.