What Is a Small Business Server?

In its most basic form, a server is a network-attached computer that’s built to run 24/7. The components that make up a server are the same ones that make up a standard computer: a processor, some RAM, storage drives, a motherboard and a power supply. What are the server price in india and where we can buy. The difference is that server parts are built to run around the clock.

For example, power supplies have further validation and many of the internal components have built-in redundancy, ensuring that your server stays running even if a part fails. That’s the main thing that separates standard computers from servers, though there are a few other important differences. 

Differences: Computers vs Servers:

First, servers don’t run the same operating systems as desktop machines. Although you can start a Windows server, many servers use other operating systems, such as Ubuntu Server and FreeNAS. These lightweight operating systems aren’t built for the end user, favoring function over form in most cases.

The components themselves are slightly different, too, even outside of stability. While desktop machines usually favor fewer, faster cores, servers generally favor greater, slower cores. While consumer processors top out at 16 cores, server processors go much higher. AMD’s Epyc server CPUs, for example, reach up to 64 cores.

That shows in storage, too. Although you can use a server for various different tasks we’ll detail a few of them next most server operations call for a lot of storage. Servers offer greater expandability versus desktop machines, and they usually come with hot-swappable drive bays. 

Why Do I Need a Small Business Server?

The need for a small business server is actually decreasing, especially as cloud storage and online backup options become more accessible and feature-rich. That said, there are some reasons to use a physical server over cloud servers from Google, Amazon and the like.

• Security:

Security is a key reason. Although cloud servers usually come with a range of security features, you still have to transfer data across the internet. Local security can pose issues, too. However, if you have sensitive data that’s only going to be used internally, it makes more sense to have that data stored locally, on your server.

• Expandable Space:

Physical business servers also allow you to quickly expand your storage space if you need it, as well as pass that data off to redundant storage. This is especially important if your business deals with very large files. Although 100TB of storage is chump change for on-premises servers, it can get costly if you’re dealing with a cloud solution.

• Price:

Similarly, cloud networks like AWS (check out our AWS guide if you’re unfamiliar with the service) and Azure charge by the hour. Like any physical versus digital good, you actually own a server if you purchase one, allowing you to use its computing power as much as you want.

The main question is what you can use that computing power for. The answer, as it is with most things, is that it depends. There are three basic functions: as a file server, as a web hosting server or database and as an email hosting server. Most small businesses will need a server for one of those functions, though a server can do much more.

What Makes the Best Server for Small Business?

Choosing a small business server is all about accessibility and expandability. Servers, like any business-focused hardware, can get expensive quickly. Although we didn’t make our picks with a hard price limit in mind, we avoided servers that run tens of thousands of dollars for a decent configuration.

We selected servers you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on, though. Expandability is essential when it comes to choosing a server. Although you may only need a little bit of RAM and a few terabytes of storage now, you’ll likely need more in the future. Our picks allow you to expand as you need.

Then, there are the other, less exciting criteria. These include connectivity options, networking bandwidth, cooling, embedded management software and form factor.

Although we built our list in a way that you can choose any server and have a positive experience, some of the picks are better suited for certain situations. The , for example, is a great all-purpose file server for businesses that don’t need a lot of computing power, while the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR550 is built to start a larger server ecosystem. 

Our top pick, the HPE ProLiant ML350 Gen10, stands above the rest, though. It balances price against decent base specs and a lot of room to expand, making it an ideal server for just about any small business.