Do I need a Server? (Part 1)

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:

• File and Print Server
• Web Server
• Mail Server
• Backup Server
• Database Server
• FTP Server
• Online Game Server
• Backup Server
• Proxy Servers

Numerous systems use this client/server networking model including Web sites and email services.

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...

http://www.hobits.com

Like a trusty mechanic for small businesses

Local Business Man takes the anxiety out of IT maintenance, upgrades, security and backups for Small and Medium size business owners in Plant City, FL 

Maintaining complex computer networks always was easier for large businesses. Hector Graxirena saw this in his work for Publix Federal Credit Union and Jabil Circuits, Corp.

He knew that often it took a well-staffed information technology department to stay apace of the upgrades and daily safeguarding needed to keep systems running efficiently-- a large cost but not prohibitive for a company large enough. But they saw that smaller businesses often needed the same kind of systems without the financial means to hire IT departments; as a result, often they just let this maintenance lapse.

This led Mr. Graxirena in 2006 to start HoBITS Technologies, Inc., which caters to businesses with 5 to 100 computers.  Hector Graxirena is the president and founder of HoBITS Technologies, Inc. He compares HoBITS Technologies work to the routine maintenance a car needs.

“When a person buys a car, they have to do things like oil changes,” he says. “They can run their car even if they don’t do these services, but in the long run it will fall apart.”

HoBITS is like a mechanic for small businesses, protecting their systems from spyware, spam and data loss on a daily basis. The business is the de facto IT department for its clients, offering a plan to take control of all software protection and updating.

“For a small-business owner without a lot of resources, computer problems are the last thing they want to worry about,” Graxirena says. “The good news is with a few simple precautions it keeps a stable environment and they don’t have to worry about it.”

Before the firm works with a potential client, HoBITS studies the company to make sure it is a good fit. It asks two questions: 1) Is technology more important to you than it was five years ago? 2) Will it be more important in five years than it is now?

If the answer is yes, the company would benefit from HoBITS Technologies, Graxirena says.

HoBITS Technologies has more than 60 clients, including law firms, doctors offices, financial services companies and manufacturers. Its plans range from $25 per computer for a basic level of maintenance to others that cost $1,200 a month or more.

Some companies even have plans that cost $5,000 to $6,000 a month, but Graxirena notes that is still cheaper than hiring an IT staff. All plans are tailored to exactly what a company needs, he says, with no “one size fits all” pricing.

Even during the recession of the past year, HoBITS Technologies was able to grow its revenue by more than 200 percent. Its  ProITWatch™ plan, which gives total control of the network to HoBITS Technologies, has been a success, Graxirena says. The firm’s marketing and outreach efforts also are paying off. Graxirena says he has encountered many small businesses that try to designate the person with the most computer experience to serve as IT director, but often this fails.

“That never works out, because a makeshift IT person usually has another full-time responsibility and not enough skills to support a whole network,” he says. “Over time that network becomes ill-maintained and unstable.”

When businesses hire HoBITS Technologies, they get a dose of education along with maintenance packages. Graxirena says they are taught to back up their files, to check these backups to make sure they work and to keep an off-site copy of the backups. The firm also has offered a free comprehensive network audit until the end of December, available through www.hobits.com

When broken down into its simplest terms, Graxirena says, HoBITS Technologies job is to ease anxiety for business owners.

“People are nervous when it comes to their computer networks,” he says. “What we do can make them better and take that fear away.”