Do You Really Need a Server? What Exactly Is a Server? Ron Pacchiano
Do you really need a network server?
Over the years I have provided computer consulting services for many businesses. While some of these small businesses have been simple one-man operations, many of them were actually larger. The thing that I always found surprising is that the majority of these companies never bothered to implement a client/server based network. Instead they just continued adding on workstations to their old peer-to-peer network.
Peer-to-peer networks don't provide you with much in the way of security, and resource sharing can be somewhat problematic. So, not surprisingly, these companies would often have problems with accessing workstations, losing data due to viruses or spyware, or experiencing intermittent Internet problems. PCs networked in a peer-to-peer fashion are adequate when you only have a few users on the network, but once you get to more than 5 or 6 users on your network, you really need to consider investing in a network server.
Nevertheless, convincing a small business owner to make this type of investment can be a hard sell. Unlike large corporations, small businesses don't have the benefit of an IT department and/or the deep pockets necessary to maintain a complex IT infrastructure. However, network servers don't have to be overly expensive or complex for you to benefit from them. And while implementing a network is neither a trivial nor inexpensive undertaking, the benefits you gain by adding a server to your computing environment far outweigh any shortcomings.
OK, But What Exactly Is a Server?
Many people are under the misconception that a server is no different than a typical desktop PC. This couldn't be further from the truth. While almost any PC that meets the minimum hardware requirements can run the server operating system, that doesn't make it a true server. A desktop system is optimized to run a user-friendly operating system, desktop applications, and facilitate other desktop oriented tasks. Even if the desktop had similar processor speeds, memory and storage capacity, it still isn't a replacement for a real server. The technologies behind them are engineered for different purposes
A server is engineered to manage, store, send and process data, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 356 days a year. For these reasons, servers need to be far more reliable than their desktop counterparts. In order to accomplish this, servers offer a variety of features not typically found in a desktop PC. For example, servers will often include:
Duel processors; either equipped or capable
Redundant hard drives or power supplies
Hot swappable components
Scalability to meet current as well as future needs
The ability to process data faster and more efficiently
