Servers are the best way to store important information for a business. Be it a small startup or a large multinational company, a server is essential. Servers help to store important data like software, apps, hosting and more. The market for servers is growing rapidly with a plethora of brands offering unique setups. Confused about which server to buy for your business? Don’t know what specifications to look for when buying a server? Here are some server specifications to keep in mind while buying one.
CPU
The central processing unit is the most important aspect to look for while buying a server. There are two main manufacturers for processors which can be found on almost every computing device, these are Intel and AMD. Small devices like netbooks use ARM processors. These processors have a very low power consumption and cannot be used for heavy tasks.
When it comes to servers, Intel has long been the go-to brand. The main reason for this is that the performance offered on Intel is faster. The reading and writing speeds of Intel processors are quicker on the basis of memory per-core. This makes sixteen-core processors by Intel one of the best in the industry.
Intel’s i7 family of processors are one of the best processors in the market, other than the recently introduced i9 family of processors. The most powerful processor made by Intel is the Xeon line. These processors are found in specialized machines, specifically designed for maximum performance.
A business looking to only host a website does not require the most powerful processor on offer, They can opt for a Virtual Private Server(VPS) as they do not require the CPU power. Businesses that need to run heavy softwares and require heavy data benefit from dedicated servers with good processors.
RAM
Random Access Memory, popularly known as RAM, is what decides the capacity of processes that can be done at once. It is very important to choose the appropriate RAM for the server. The difference in performance of the server is fairly noticeable when the RAM is of an appropriate memory. While four gigabytes of RAM is the bare minimum for a laptop or desktop, it isn’t the same for a server.
For a hosting solution, the bare minimum in terms of RAM would be 512 megabytes however, this isn’t realistic. For a hosting server like a VPS, the basic RAM requirements are one gigabyte for simple websites with low to average traffic, these can be considered as a small business server. For dedicated servers which provide hosting and need to support heavy softwares, the capacity starts at sixteen gigabytes.
While it is difficult to calculate the actual amount of RAM needed for a business, it is better to go with a higher memory for RAM. Higher RAM ensures smooth functioning of the server without any lag. These are some variables to keep in mind when deciding the RAM.
- The more traffic or software being used will require more RAM to keep up with the demand.
- CMSs like WordPress, Magento, and Drupal require at least a minimum of one gigabyte. However, keep in mind this is the minimum requirement and functionality can be affected if additional RAM isn’t available.
- Softwares like cPanel require a significant amount of RAM.
- Databases and scripting languages require high amounts of RAM to function.
- To run any kind of application, RAM is required. This needs to be kept in mind as well.
Storage
There are two different types of memory storage. While the primary function of storage remains the same, the speeds differ. Standard hard drives have a lower read and write speed when compared to Solid State Drives (SSD). This difference in speed is because hard disk drives have spinning parts which tend to take longer to read and write when compared to SSD. It might be difficult to recover data from a crashed hard disk drive, questioning its reliability. The speed boost is the most important aspect when looking for storage in a server.
Storage differs with each device, a mobile phone today might have up to 1 terabyte of storage. This is because everything, including the software and files, are stored within the device. Storage for hosting is different. To host a simple site only the text files and visual assets take up space. However, if you are hosting emails on the server as well, it might take up a lot of space.
The storage aspect of the server depends on what needs to be kept on the server. There are many servers that offer a range of different storage options. The Dell PowerEdge series of servers offer a variety of storage options to choose from, making them a great choice for a workspace.
These are the three main specifications to look for when choosing a server. However, each situation is unique, which is why the exact same server requirements might not work for two different businesses. If you still have doubts with regard to which server to choose from head over to Dell Exclusive for more guidance.
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home2/dellexcl/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/amp-gravity-forms/amp-gravity-forms.php on line 204
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home2/dellexcl/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/amp-gravity-forms/amp-gravity-forms.php on line 204
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home2/dellexcl/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/amp-gravity-forms/amp-gravity-forms.php on line 204