Is it the right time for you to get a small business server?

With this growth in your business, it may be time to consider getting a small business server. If you are beginning to manage a small fleet of computers that share printers, scanners, internet access or information, then a small business server may certainly ease your growing pains.

Today’s servers are no longer designed with just large organizations in mind as they were in the past. Servers are now made to help simplify and grow businesses of ALL sizes and can be purchased at an affordable price point. Servers allow for non-stop, 24/7 business operations and play a big part in a productive organization’s processes.  

Let’s take a look at some of the sure signs it’s time to consider a small business server for organization.

Signs you need a small business server

#1 – Your business requires files and data that currently resides on more than one computer to be secured from unauthorized access, corruption or total loss

#2 – You manage multiple computers that share scanners, printers, fax machines, information or internet access

#3 – You want the flexibility of accessing your files while away from the office, backing up business-critical items that reside on multiple computers or restoring deleted or previous versions of files

#4 – You require a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) software and accounting programs to communicate with your customers and vendors

#5 – You would like to dictate user rights and abilities to access certain files and data on the network 

#6 – If a user’s computer goes down, you’d like them to be able to sign into another computer and resume their work

#7 – You need employees to share software tools and databases

#8 – You want to save money by hosting your own company website and email

Impacts a server can have on your business operations

Performance and reliability

One of the major differentiators of a server from a typical desktop PC is that a server is built to manage, store, send, and process data 24/7 with minimal downtime. For these reasons, servers must be more reliable and powerful than PCs to meet the ongoing demands of your business.

In order to accomplish maximum uptime, there are several common components and characteristics of servers that are not found in PCs including:

• Redundant power supplies or hard drives
• Dual processors
• Hot swappable parts
• Ability to process data with more efficiency and speed
• Scalability; meeting your current and future business needs

Unified Updates

A dedicated small business server can simplify many of the tasks you are faced with when managing your business’s computers. One of the most important capabilities a server has is pushing out software updates to all computers in your network whether they physically sit in your office or across the country. The days of updating each computer one by one are over.

Backups

While backing up your computers to the cloud or an external hard drive may seem pretty straightforward, employees may not always follow this instruction. This can not only leave critical files at risk of being completely lost, your employee may not be able to be productive while their system is attempted to be recovered. With a small business server, you can automatically back-up all of your computers to a central location on a daily (preferred) or weekly basis, and then you can back-up your server for an extra level of redundancy. We often say at Midland “that which has not been backed up cannot be recovered.” With your own server, you can ensure the data and resources that you operate your business with will be there to work with tomorrow.  

Finding the right server for you

If your business has more than five people using computers to share information and resources, we highly recommend implementing a small business server. At Midland, we employ highly trained and accommodating specialists that can assist you in selecting and sizing a server for your business. They can walk you through server options, such as the ThinkSystem ST50, a popular entry-level system for small businesses looking to install their first server.

Implementing a small business server that fits your current and future needs can enhance productivity, protect information and data that you rely on and set up your growing business for success. Let us help you find the right system to get started with.