Server Management

Servers can be surprisingly affordable, user-friendly and small in size. A server-based network enables many businesses to reap the benefits of a data center without a dedicated IT staff. Why consider a server?

The key business benefits include:

• Gaining control of your computing power
• Making your office more efficient
• Making your data more secure

Let's look at the functions a server can help provide:

File Management
Disorganization spells disaster for business. File storage on individual PCs makes collaboration difficult and version control almost impossible. Hard drives can fill up and archives may be put on CDs or drives that could disappear.

By contrast, a server enables file storage in one central location where employees can access versions they need and work collaboratively with ease, without overburdening their hard drives or risk losing files.

Application Management
When it’s time for a software upgrade, managing applications on multiple PCs can be a multiday job, and it’s likely that your PCs could be running different operating systems and program versions. Running software from a server means that you can upgrade multiple systems at the same time — keeping your systems in sync.

Mobility
Once your server is in place and you've set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the server over the Internet, your entire office is just a few keystrokes away, no matter where you or your employees are. Add wireless connectivity to your network and you can rearrange your workspaces — from computers to peripherals — to work from any office location.

Collaboration
In a server-based network, employees can share not only the files they're working on, but also group calendars, contact lists and project management applications. You can also set up a company intranet to improve in-office communications, and establish a protected extranet to work with customers and clients who play a role in getting things done.

Security
Servers can be configured to back up your data automatically using duplicate hard drives, recording data to tape systems, or copying your files to secure off-site locations.

Servers also give you control over what your employees are putting on their PCs, blocking them from installing unauthorized and potentially harmful applications, and giving you more control over what programs are running on your system.

To keep your data safe from outside threats you can tightly control Internet interaction. By using multiple levels of access control, data encryption and firewalls designed to keep intruders and viruses out, you keep your information safe from prying eyes and hackers, while also enjoying the convenience of a wireless office setup.

Performance
If you want your business to speed up, you've got to ensure that the engines aren’t overloaded. Storing files centrally and moving commonly used applications away from individual desktops, enables individual systems — and your business — to run faster. Today’s servers can run many programs simultaneously on the same machine, and it’s easy to add more storage and memory in a relatively small space.

Consult with Dell
Dell provides a wide range of servers, storage options and peripherals to build real networking solutions for businesses of all sizes. What's the perfect network for your business? Just ask. Dell will consult with you from start to finish, analyze your current needs and your plans for growth, suggest the appropriate network design, help you get your data system up and running, and will be there for future support as your business grows.

Want to learn more about how server-based networking can help your small business prosper? Visit Dell's Server Basics Learning Center.