Organizations of all sizes rely on servers to back up their workloads, and small-scale businesses are no exception. But purchasing a server can be a daunting task, as in that location are many factors to consider beyond just the server.
Hither, we examine these considerations and present ten servers from Asus, Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Fujitsu, Lenovo and Scan Computers International Ltd.
SMB server basics
The term server can refer to a physical computer or to a software program. Here, we're concerned only with the physical computer, which is made upwards of multiple hardware components capable of supporting business applications and their workloads.
A server is designed to share resource and accommodate workflows across a network, often interfacing with the internet and supporting remote users. The system typically runs 24/7, processing requests from multiple users and applications, frequently at the same time. In some cases, a server might handle large files or amounts of data, depending on the workloads.
A server's hardware includes processors, memory modules, internal storage and network adapters for connecting to the corporate network and sometimes a storage or direction network. In addition, a server usually includes components or features to ensure greater reliability and security, such as cryptographically signed firmware or error-correcting code protection for bit errors on the memory chips. The exact configuration can vary significantly from one server to the next, which is why information technology'south important SMBs go on charily when selecting a server.
On-premises or in the deject?
Does the organisation need a server or should it consider cloud calculating? For many SMBs, the cloud can be a ameliorate alternative. A cloud server eliminates the demand for an on-premises system and the environs that supports it. Deject computing also reduces the dependency on Information technology resources, while providing a flexible and scalable environment for accommodating changing workloads. In addition, cloud services offering built-in data protection that helps ensure data remains bachelor and secure.
Although this investment comes with upfront costs, servers can be less expensive in the long term when compared to cloud subscription fees.
In contrast, an on-premises server poses several challenges. Get-go, the organization must take space to house the computer and electricity to power and cool it. In addition, staff must continuously maintain the server, ensure its security, protect it from natural disaster and replace any hardware components that pause. All these efforts accept time and money -- not but the capital outlay, but too the ongoing expense of maintaining the system in-house.
For many organizations, hosting server operations on a cloud server is platonic, peculiarly when compared to the on-bounds alternative. Just the cloud isn't without its dark side. An organization must pay recurring monthly fees and it has no access to the server environs nor control over the underlying platform. The cloud provider determines when to upgrade the underlying systems and controls how long information technology will take to restore or repair those systems. With a cloud server, SMBs are too reliant on the internet for continuous connectivity.
With an on-bounds server, the organisation has consummate control over the environment and the server itself, which is especially important for keeping disquisitional information in-house or expediting upgrades or repairs. Although this investment comes with upfront costs, servers tin can exist less expensive in the long term when compared to cloud subscription fees. Plus, if the organisation deploys a server on premises to handle business-disquisitional applications, information technology can yet use cloud services for less sensitive operations such as hosting the SMB'south website.
An in-firm server can support a wide range of workloads. This includes running an email management program or other business organization applications, hosting a database management organization or web application, serving as a media or file server, providing print services or supporting any number of other operations. SMBs tin can also utilize virtualization to host multiple applications, running each on its own virtual server. The primal is to ensure that the server the SMB selects can handle the anticipated workloads, regardless of how it plans to implement them.
How to choose the right server
An arrangement tin buy a dedicated server outright, lease a complete system, assemble it or purchase a refurbished server. At that place are advantages and disadvantages to each arroyo, but an SMB's goal is to ensure it ends up with a server that tin handle its workloads reliably and efficiently.
The following seven steps outline many of the factors an system should consider before selecting a server:
1. Summate the server budget.
Get an estimate for the server itself, including additional features and optional service agreements. Consider long-range scaling and parts replacement. A less expensive server might be tempting, only it might not be powerful or reliable enough to handle mission-disquisitional workloads.
Estimate the Information technology resources it will take to install, configure, maintain and update the server. Don't forget the costs associated with troubleshooting and addressing issues that might arise. Include whatever costs for training personnel or hiring outside expertise.
Examine what it will cost to house the server and provide power and cooling.
Consider the costs associated with licensing the Os, security software, management software and any other software required to keep the server operational.
Include expenses associated with protecting the data, the server and its physical surroundings against security breaches, natural disasters or other events that could lead to data being lost, corrupted or compromised.
2. Identify workload requirements.
List the types of applications and services the SMB plans to run and the requirements for operating each, including processor, memory, storage and network.
Confirm the number of users per application and how they will be using the application.
List the amount and blazon of information that will be processed and stored on the server, including file sizes. Consider both data at remainder and in move.
Identify how the organisation will implement each application -- blank metallic, virtual server or container -- and include the hypervisor and container software in the planning.
Calculate workload requirements for the near and distant future.
3. Identify operational requirements.
Identify all security, privacy and compliance requirements equally they apply to the server.
Detail reliability and availability requirements equally they apply to data delivery and ongoing server operations.
Identify brusque- and long-term scalability requirements.
Check network connectivity requirements, including direction and storage networks.
Summate the total number of users who volition exist accessing the server, how often they will admission it, how long they will connect to the server and whatever other piece of work patterns that could impact server usage.
Place the surroundings in which the server will operate, along with whatever limitations, such as power, cooling or racket concerns.
4. Cull the OS.
Examine the server OSes currently available, such as Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Standard or Cherry Lid Enterprise Linux.
Determine which OS will best meet the organisation's workload requirements. From this option, select the best version and edition to see those requirements.
Identify the level of in-house expertise for working with a particular Bone.
Consider how much training it volition have to get Information technology personnel up to speed with a item OS or whether the SMB volition need to bring in outside expertise.
Evaluate if the system has the in-firm development expertise and availability for taking advantage of an open up source OS, if that'south existence considered.
List the administrative tools the SMB currently uses and if they're specific to a particular OS.
Listing other servers the organization currently maintains and the Os running on each.
5. Choose the server class factor.
Evaluate the server course factors -- including tower, blade and rack -- against known limitations of space, power, cooling and other environmental considerations.
Consider the environment in which the server will operate in terms of its upshot on other people, such as placing a noisy server in an office corner.
Factor in other servers or IT equipment running in the environment, such every bit a router or uninterruptible ability supply.
6. Evaluate the available servers.
Limit the search to merely servers bachelor in the arrangement's selected class gene and servers that have been certified to work with the Os the SMB selects.
Determine each server'south physical dimensions or rack space units.
Evaluate each server's ability to support the SMB's workloads, in terms of processor, memory, storage and other resources, including virtualization requirements.
Verify each server's ability to meet the SMB's operational requirements, such every bit reliability and scalability. Assess the type of security that's built into the server components and firmware that'due south included as software.
Make up one's mind the number and types of bachelor ports, expansion slots, network cards, storage and media bays, and storage controllers. Also, verify the availability of standard or optional drives such as DVD or DVD-RW.
Ostend the type of power supply and its wattage.
Verify the level of redundancy built into each server.
Evaluate the warranties, service contracts, maintenance contracts and level of technical back up available to the server.
7. Brand a decision.
Eliminate from consideration servers that can't back up the organisation's workload and operational requirements or that are more powerful than needed in the nearly or distant time to come. Be careful non to underestimate or overestimate futurity needs, every bit either scenario can result in unnecessary expenses.
Prioritize the remaining servers based on which ones best meet the SMB's workload and operational requirements. For servers that offer comparable services, prioritize them past cost, considering boosted fees for service or support contracts, as well equally software licensing.
Determine which vendors are considered leaders in the selected category of servers and familiarize yourself with their reputation for delivering quality products and following through on service agreements.
Larn what customers and reviewers are saying almost the servers that made the final cut.
Selecting the pinnacle server hardware for pocket-size business
The following overview examines 10 popular servers. The list focuses on tower servers considering they're oftentimes all-time suited for SMBs that don't have data centers or server rooms for housing Information technology equipment.
Asus TS500
1. Asus TS500 The Asus TS500 is a dual-apply computer that tin operate as a workstation or a server. Information technology includes an Intel Xeon E5-2600 processor, upwardly to 512 GB of retention and iv 3.5-inch hot-swap Series Avant-garde Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drive drive (HDD) bays, which can exist upgraded to eight bays. The TS500 also includes six PCIe expansion slots -- 2 PCIe iii.0 -- three media trophy, ii ane Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, one direction LAN port and an Intelligent Platform Management Interface two.0-compliant module. The system also provides several components to increase immovability, including 12k solid capacitors that can withstand upwards to 12,000 hours of loftier ambient temperatures.
Dell EMC PowerEdge T40
2. Dell EMC PowerEdge T40 The smaller blueprint of this entry-level server is well-suited to workloads such as file, impress, mail or messaging services. It comes with a quad-cadre Xeon E 2224G processor and can accommodate up to 64 GB of memory. The T40 also provides 3 3.v-inch SATA HDD bays and a single 1 TB HDD. Information technology includes 4 PCIe expansion slots -- three PCIe 3.0 and one 1 GbE port -- forth with embedded Intel Active Direction Applied science 12.0. The server also comes with cryptographically signed firmware, Intel Software Guard Extensions, Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) ii.0.
Dell EMC PowerEdge T140
iii. Dell EMC PowerEdge T140 This server is a step up from the T40, although it's still considered an entry-level server. It's meaty and designed to run quietly. An SMB tin choose a processor from a wide range of Intel Celeron, Pentium, Core i3 and Xeon products. The T140 supports up to 64 GB of memory, includes four three.v-inch SATA HDD bays and provides a 1 TB HDD. It comes with 4 PCIe 3.0 slots and up to four i GbE ports. The server also includes the OpenManage software suite also every bit security features such as cryptographically signed firmware, Secure Kick, Secure Erase and Silicon Root of Trust. TPM is available for an additional cost.
Fujitsu Primergy
4. Fujitsu Primergy TX1310 M3 This server comes in a compact, screwless chassis. Information technology includes HDD quick-release capabilities and is built to reduce noise levels. An SMB can choose the server's processor from a range of Intel Celeron, Pentium and Core i3 products. The machine supports up to 64 GB of retentivity and includes six 3.v-inch SATA HDD bays. Fujitsu offers an assortment of HDDs for the server, ranging from 500 GB to ten TB. The TX1310 M3 too includes 4 PCIe 3.0 slots and provides up to ii 1 GbE ports. It also comes with Fujitsu's Cool-safe Avant-garde Thermal Design technology.
HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen10
5. HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen10 This server is designed for small offices such as remote and co-operative locations. It supports a single processor, which tin be a Core i3-9100, Pentium G5420 or one of several Xeon models, some of which provide six cores. The ML30 Gen10 supports up to 64 GB of retentiveness and includes two i GbE ports and 4 PCIe three.0 expansion slots. An SMB can configure the server with either 4 or eight hot-plug HDD storage bays, with back up for up to 64 TB of storage. It comes with HPE's Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) and Silicon Root of Trust.
HPE ProLiant ML350 Gen10
half-dozen. HPE ProLiant ML350 Gen10 This server, which is a significant footstep upwardly from the ML30, offers a dual-socket machine that an organisation can configure with a broad range of Xeon scalable processors. The ML350 Gen10 tin can support up to 3 TB of memory and up to 24 hot-plug HDD drive bays, making it possible to shop as much every bit 192 TB of data. It too provides eight PCIe iii.0 expansion slots and iv i GbE ports. The ML350 comes with iLO and a multifariousness of other security-related features, such as Server Configuration Lock, Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot, FIPS 140-2 validation and Common Criteria certification.
HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen10 Plus
7. HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen10 Plus Like the ML30, this server targets small role settings, providing an entry-level machine that's the most compact to date. The estimator tin can be configured with either Xeon Eastward-2224 or Pentium G5420 processors and includes 32 GB of memory. Information technology besides provides four SATA HDD bays, one PCIe 3.0 expansion slot and four ane GbE ports. This server supports HPE Systems Insight Manager and comes with several security features, including UEFI Secure Kicking, iLO Silicon Root of Trust, FIPS 140-2 validation and firmware rollbacks.
Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250
8. Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 The Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 targets workloads such equally business organisation and retail applications, but with a focus on small offices. The server includes a Pentium G5400 processor with up to 8 cores. It can support upward to 128 GB of retention and up to 8 three.five-inch SATA or Series-Fastened SCSI (SAS) drive trophy, making information technology possible to store as much as 32 TB of data. The ST250 provides four PCIe iii.0 expansion slots and ii i GbE ports. It also integrates seamlessly with Lenovo's XClarity management organization and comes with Intel'southward Software Guard Extensions for protecting application code and data.
Lenovo ST550
9. Lenovo ThinkSystemST550 This is a much more powerful machine than the ST250, making it suitable for private clouds, server virtualization and workloads such every bit virtual desktop infrastructure. The ST550 can be configured with up to two Xeon Platinum processors, up to 768 GB of retentivity and up to 16 drive bays. The bays incorporate Lenovo's AnyBay design, which lets the SMB choose the drive interface type, whether SAS, SATA or U.2 NVMe PCIe. The server also comes with six PCIe iii.0 expansion slots, ii 1 GbE ports and upward to two Nvidia GPU cards.
Scan Computers 3XS SER T7X1
x. Scan Computers International Ltd. 3XS SER T7X1 This single-processor system is built on the Asus Z11PA-U12 motherboard and supports a range of Xeon processors with up to 192 GB of retentiveness. The number of available drive bays varies and depends on the storage controller the organization selects. The base model includes a 250 GB NVMe solid-state drive, with options to choose a dissimilar SSD or HDD. The server also includes iv PCIe 3.0 extension slots and two 1 GbE ports but can be upgraded to a network adapter card that provides one or 2 10 GbE ports. The Scan Computers server comes with a recovery USB flash drive that includes diagnostic utilities.
Choosing server hardware for pocket-sized concern
The cardinal to selecting a server for an SMB is to discover the arrangement that all-time meets the organization's requirements. This means advisedly identifying its needs and so evaluating the available products and the vendors offering them. Any shortcuts to this process are likely to cost more in the long run, something few small businesses can afford to accept happen.
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Asus TS500 
Dell EMC PowerEdge T40 
Dell EMC PowerEdge T140 
Fujitsu Primergy 
HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen10 
HPE ProLiant MicroServer 
Lenovo ThinkSystem 
Lenovo ST550 
Scan Computers 3XS 
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