Before You Serve Up a Server

 

As major computer manufacturers aggressively target the small-business server market, you have many server options, whether you're running a computer network or hosting a Web site. According to projections by Sherwood Research, a technology research firm in Wellesley, Mass., small-business-server shipments are doubling annually. While the big vendors rush to fill the growing niche, small companies will benefit from the falling prices and heightened capabilities of today's servers.

But even though servers are getting cheaper and less complicated, they're still not exactly plug-and-play systems. Figuring out how much memory you need and what kind of technical support you should expect can be downright confusing.

Before you purchase your next server, it's a good idea to forget about the hardware until you've considered the applications. "The important thing is to figure out what the heck you want to do with the machine and what kind of software you'll need," explains Steven Lee of Random Access Data Systems, a computer consulting firm in Needham, Mass.

Sit down with the computer users in your company and discuss their software and communications needs. The list you assemble will help you decide how powerful your server needs to be.

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