Very often I am asked the question “Hector, do I need a server?”; my answer is “depends on your business”. What type of business do you have, and how much you value your business, your clients, the transactions you’ve have done with those clients, your marketing efforts, your leads to possible new clients, and your accounting? If you agree that all these factors are important to you, and your business then maybe you need to keep reading. In order to understand why you might need a server, you need to have a basic understanding of what a server is.
WHAT IS A SERVER
Per definition, a Server (or Network Server) is a computer designed to process requests and deliver data to other (client) computers over a local network or the Internet.
Network servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory and storage capacity to handle the load of servicing clients. Common types of network servers include:
Most of the servers on the Internet are just standard Pentium computers. The vast majority run the Linux or Windows operating systems. What makes these machines servers is quite simple: they are running programs that serve data when asked by clients.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
So let's look at some of those differences. On the surface, they seem very similar. Both have a CPU, RAM, and hard drives for storage. Servers, however, are designed with heavy‐duty back‐end tasks in mind, and aren't well equipped to run normal desktop workloads, such as graphics‐intensive applications. Servers excel at running services supporting those desktop applications, such as databases.
The CPU in an entry‐level server isn't all that different from a midlevel desktop, but does differ in some ways, such as cache sizes. To put it simply, CPU cache is a small, dedicated pool of RAM that the CPU can use to store frequently requested data. If the cache is larger, the CPU appears faster because it can store more data in the cache for faster recall. Server CPUs generally have larger and more varied caches than desktop systems for just this reason. Like modern desktop systems, server CPUs can have multiple cores, although they generally make better use of multiple cores than desktop systems will.
Multiple‐core CPUs are basically a single CPU that contains two or more processing cores. In essence, it’s like having several CPUs on a single chip. Using multicore CPUs can greatly increase the processing power of the system and lengthen the usable life of your server.
Some entry‐level servers, such as an Intel Celeron 445, may have a single‐core CPUs. For an office of fewer than 10 users, this is generally sufficient. Be aware, though, that a few extra dollars invested now in on a higher‐powered server ‐‐ say a dual‐ or even a quad‐core CPU ‐‐ can be greatly beneficial as your business grows. Overestimating your needs now might be your best bet.
UNDERSTANDING RAID
One of the major hardware differences between servers and workstations is the disk subsystem. While desktops have a single hard drive, servers generally have several hard drives configured to appear as a
single disk. This is called RAID, or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. RAID is widely used to protect servers from individual disk failures, critical when your business is at stake. If a drive in a RAID array fails, it does not mean that the data contained on that drive is lost, since other drives in the array still contain the data. There are multiple levels of RAID, but for entry‐level servers, RAID levels 1 and 5 are the most common.
RACK VS. TOWER
Entry‐level servers are generally available in either a rack‐mount or tower form. If this is the first server for the company, you probably won’t have a suitable server rack already in place, and for a single server, adding that rack may not be cost‐effective. Thus, a tower server is likely to be the best option.
Many tower servers can later be converted to rack‐mount servers with the appropriate conversion kit, so if your infrastructure grows to the point where a rack is required, your existing investment can be modified to fit your needs.
A tower server is generally only slightly larger than a regular desktop system, and can be placed under a desk or in an area that has little traffic. Though it’s a good idea to also have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse hooked up to the server, don’t be tempted to use the server as a desktop system.
A WORD ABOUT RAM
Servers also generally have very fast RAM, which is quite important for performance. Since servers are running many different tasks simultaneously, fast RAM and a fast system bus are crucial to maintain smooth operation. ECC, or error‐correcting, RAM is also a feature of most server‐class systems. ECC helps protect the integrity of the data stored in RAM during normal processing. It costs a bit more than non‐ECC RAM, but in a server system, it’s generally a requirement.
WHAT ABOUT POWER
Another feature of most servers is redundant power supplies. This means that the server has at least two power supplies that both draw power during normal operation. If one power supply fails, or power is cut to that supply, the server continues to function. Not all servers have this feature, but some offer the option of adding another power supply later on. As with any computer, you should add a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to protect your server from power surges and outages.
Per definition, a Server (or Network Server) is a computer designed to process requests and deliver data to other (client) computers over a local network or the Internet.
Network servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory and storage capacity to handle the load of servicing clients. Common types of network servers include:
- File and Print Server
- Web Server
- Mail Server
- Backup Server
- Database Server
- FTP Server
- Online Game Server
- Backup Server
- Proxy Servers
Most of the servers on the Internet are just standard Pentium computers. The vast majority run the Linux or Windows operating systems. What makes these machines servers is quite simple: they are running programs that serve data when asked by clients.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
So let's look at some of those differences. On the surface, they seem very similar. Both have a CPU, RAM, and hard drives for storage. Servers, however, are designed with heavy‐duty back‐end tasks in mind, and aren't well equipped to run normal desktop workloads, such as graphics‐intensive applications. Servers excel at running services supporting those desktop applications, such as databases.
The CPU in an entry‐level server isn't all that different from a midlevel desktop, but does differ in some ways, such as cache sizes. To put it simply, CPU cache is a small, dedicated pool of RAM that the CPU can use to store frequently requested data. If the cache is larger, the CPU appears faster because it can store more data in the cache for faster recall. Server CPUs generally have larger and more varied caches than desktop systems for just this reason. Like modern desktop systems, server CPUs can have multiple cores, although they generally make better use of multiple cores than desktop systems will.
Multiple‐core CPUs are basically a single CPU that contains two or more processing cores. In essence, it’s like having several CPUs on a single chip. Using multicore CPUs can greatly increase the processing power of the system and lengthen the usable life of your server.
Some entry‐level servers, such as an Intel Celeron 445, may have a single‐core CPUs. For an office of fewer than 10 users, this is generally sufficient. Be aware, though, that a few extra dollars invested now in on a higher‐powered server ‐‐ say a dual‐ or even a quad‐core CPU ‐‐ can be greatly beneficial as your business grows. Overestimating your needs now might be your best bet.
UNDERSTANDING RAID
One of the major hardware differences between servers and workstations is the disk subsystem. While desktops have a single hard drive, servers generally have several hard drives configured to appear as a
single disk. This is called RAID, or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. RAID is widely used to protect servers from individual disk failures, critical when your business is at stake. If a drive in a RAID array fails, it does not mean that the data contained on that drive is lost, since other drives in the array still contain the data. There are multiple levels of RAID, but for entry‐level servers, RAID levels 1 and 5 are the most common.
RACK VS. TOWER
Entry‐level servers are generally available in either a rack‐mount or tower form. If this is the first server for the company, you probably won’t have a suitable server rack already in place, and for a single server, adding that rack may not be cost‐effective. Thus, a tower server is likely to be the best option.
Many tower servers can later be converted to rack‐mount servers with the appropriate conversion kit, so if your infrastructure grows to the point where a rack is required, your existing investment can be modified to fit your needs.
A tower server is generally only slightly larger than a regular desktop system, and can be placed under a desk or in an area that has little traffic. Though it’s a good idea to also have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse hooked up to the server, don’t be tempted to use the server as a desktop system.
A WORD ABOUT RAM
Servers also generally have very fast RAM, which is quite important for performance. Since servers are running many different tasks simultaneously, fast RAM and a fast system bus are crucial to maintain smooth operation. ECC, or error‐correcting, RAM is also a feature of most server‐class systems. ECC helps protect the integrity of the data stored in RAM during normal processing. It costs a bit more than non‐ECC RAM, but in a server system, it’s generally a requirement.
WHAT ABOUT POWER
Another feature of most servers is redundant power supplies. This means that the server has at least two power supplies that both draw power during normal operation. If one power supply fails, or power is cut to that supply, the server continues to function. Not all servers have this feature, but some offer the option of adding another power supply later on. As with any computer, you should add a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to protect your server from power surges and outages.
Stay tuned for the next part...
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I really like this article you put together Hector. I will point those to it who ask this question.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Christa
Thank You Christa. Stay tuned...next part is coming next week...
ReplyDeleteI get it clear idea about what is server and how its working all the points get it through this blog.Above all the points are explained very clearly.Every one can easy to understand your topic.web hosting
ReplyDelete