Does Your Medium Business Need a Server?

If you're a medium business owner, you know that coping with workgroup and file-sharing solutions is a constant headache. The headache only seems to get worse when you begin to consider how these issues will continue to grow as you grow your business. That's why a server is absolutely necessary to improve your workflow and secure your data.

Purchasing a server is a big ordeal for any business. It can be costly, time consuming and sometimes even disruptive, but that initial investment in time and money usually pays off — and fast.

When It's Time
It's time to purchase a server when:

• The company you started so many years ago has grown. There are now twice as many employees, additional satellite offices, and a lot more data to manage and keep organized. File-sharing programs mean less risk of crucial files and documents getting lost or corrupted, while printer-sharing capabilities make for a more efficient, centralized workflow.
• Your most precious data is stored on one central computer. Have you thought about what would happen if that computer suddenly failed? A server can be your company's lifeline in the event of a major desktop mishap or catastrophe. Important data is protected in one location, staying easily accessible all the while.
• Your company's remote workforce continues to grow. Perhaps the number of freelance or independent contractors your company employs has grown or employees and high-level management want to have all the advantages of the office on their home desktop or mobile device. The company phone system can be integrated with a server so employees can check voice mail remotely.
• It takes forever to open up an application or a simple file. New servers or more of them can produce a noticeable difference in the servers' speed — all documents are instantly available, and they open up quickly.

Why It's Time
Consider purchasing a server for your business for the following reasons:

• A server may be what you need when you want to bring into play more powerful tools and applications, such as the ability to host a Web site or an FTP site or to deploy server-connected printers, which would replace the need for faxing. Servers bring more power, speed and efficiency to a work environment.
• Companies that deal in ecommerce usually aspire to bring in larger clients, and more of them. If a company is expected to double sales for the second year in a row, new servers are an integral and expandable part of their growth plan.
• The higher the volume of data and customer information a company must manage, the more important it becomes to have a secure network to manage the data. Servers allow control over who has access to the network. This is crucial to keeping clients' information safe and protected or keeping certain departments off-limits, such as human resources or accounting.
• Scalability. Don't let the opportunity to continue to grow your company and its IT infrastructure pass by, even if it feels like your current network of desktops or singular server is maxed out. Increasing the number of servers or investing in more powerful servers allows you to plan for the future by creating the capacity for additional platforms.

Tower, Rack or Blade

You can choose from the following three types of servers:

• Tower — This is the most basic of servers in the market. It costs and takes up as much space as the average desktop. Small businesses, without the capacity for a data room and having space concerns, would probably be best equipped with this type of server.
• Rack — This system stacks the servers in racks in the same way a CD rack stacks CDs. This is a space-saving option but is more suited for companies that are looking to maximize space in the data center. This type of server is better for a small business that is well-versed in the world of servers or a medium-sized business that requires more servers.
• Blade — This system is the most compact server of the three. This server was named for its ultrathin shape. Because it is compact, a blade server is still pricey for some businesses. However, an increase in demand for the blade servers is seen as IBM cited in an IDC study that said the blade server market would grow from $3 billion in 2005 to $11 billion in 2010.