Will A Server Boost Your Bottom Line?
As your business grows and you add more PCs you need a properly set up network if you are to really optimise the value of your IT investment.
A network that is not properly planned develops dangerous vulnerabilities. Users store data in various places resulting in problems with finding files speedily. Data is not easily backed up and certain business systems cannot be implemented.
A step that is often taken in a small business is to designate one computer as the ‘file server’. Company data is stored on a shared folder in this PC which usually is also used as a staff member’s workstation.
The above scenario is known as a ‘peer to peer’ network. Although there may be one PC sharing the data there is no real ‘server’.
There are a number of advantages in migrating to a server and the exercise may not be as expensive as you think. In fact servers for small businesses have become much more affordable in recent years.
A business that has only 3 or 4 PCs may not need a server, however once 5 or more PCs are in the network a server is advisable. Even for the small business with less than 5 PCs there is a solution worth considering. The new Microsoft ‘Windows Home Server’ has some excellent features that are detailed in a separate article.
A server is a totally different computer to a desktop PC. Desktop PCs are optimised to run user-friendly operating systems, while servers are engineered for their specific usage. They run a specialised server operating system which provides the optimisation and extra features that make a server essential for best practise in a business network.
With a server you can easily:
Centralise all company data
backup data automatically
improve performance
collaborate via a company website or sharing calendars
run a database or other specific software requiring a server
access the office remotely, working on the road or at home
configure extra PCs as staff numbers increase
Windows Home Server
Home Server was developed to meet the growing news of many households that had a number of PCs networked together. It is equally ideal for the small business with just 3 or 4 PCs.
Although built on Windows Server 2003, Home Server is just a fraction of the cost and, unlike other server software, can be supplied on an older PC with no more than 512Mb RAM.
When installed Home Server will automatically back up all PCs connected to it. The backup technology also tracks previous versions of files that have changed or been deleted.
There is also a great disaster recovery function as the server stores a “snapshot” of each PCs hard drive so that a failed computer can be speedily rebuilt to its pre failed state.
Shared folders on the server means that all users can access centrally stored data.
The server can be easily set up for remote access.
Windows Small Business Server
Windows Small Business Server (SBS) is designed to be a feature rich, cost effective solution for small businesses. SBS provides technology and tools to help you run your business more efficiently, improve employee productivity, and reduce costs.
Windows Small Business Server:
Provides one central place to store business information making it easy for employees to find, access, and share information and schedules.
Makes it easy to backup all data automatically with a backup configuration utility, and also Volume Shadow Copy that ensures there is always a copy of each user’s documents on the server.
Access data at home or on the road. You can read your mail, access company data, even work remotely on your own computer at work anywh
ere that you can get internet access with “Remote Web Workplace”.
It’s much easier to set up a new computer add users and deploy software applications.
Collaborate with other staff members Sharepoint Services which is bundled with Windows Small Business Server facilitates collaboration with a web based interface for sharing information, announcements, calendars and fax messaging.
Host your own e-mail Microsoft Exchange Server is built into Windows SBS enabling you to receive and store e-mails directly for greater control. Exchange also enables you to use a web base e-mail program call Outlook Web Access so that you can read your e-mail anywhere you have internet access. Also users can share calendars using Exchange.
Access data using a mobile device If you use a Smartphone or Pocket PC Phone Edition device you can access and update e-mail, contacts and calendars while on the move.
The latest edition of Windows Small Business Server (SBS2008) is just being released. By purchasing Microsoft Software Assurance you can buy the current SBS2003 and upgrade with no penalty later.
I am always searching for recent posts in the net about this subject. Thankz.
Nice post . I voted for it up on reddit even though I partially covered it on my blog
Anyhow I just popped here to say hi and compliment your efforts.See ya on the World Wide 
Thanks for the support and feedback. I’m new to blogging but hope to have some more posts here regularly soon. Graeme
I’m having a little bit of trouble viewing your site in Firefox, but it may just be my computer. Apart from that, I love your site. I plan on surfing around and checking out some more posts!
Training An Older Dog
Thanks Leslie for the feedback. I’ll check out the site in Firefox. It’s fairly new so not many posts yet.
what a great site and informative posts, I will add backlink – bookmark this site? Regards, Reader.
It has been a hard job to find such informative and important tags from net. I went through your post, which made me update about online marketing products. I’ve been concerned with these all, since so long and doing work for my friend to promote his online business.
This is awesome…
this is looking to be a very nice articles thank you…
You article definitely was one of the best parts of my Saturday. I was on MSN searching for something totally unrelated when the title caught my attention. I’m glad I took the time to read your blog! Feel free to comment on my blog at Welding Jobs if you get some free time!
You post definitely was one of the best parts of my Saturday. I was on MSN searching for something totally unrelated when the post caught my attention. I’m glad I took the time to read your article! Feel free to comment on my blog at The Tweet Tank Review!
Glad to see that this site works well on my Google phone , everything I want to do is functional. Thanks for keeping it up to date with the latest.
I really liked reading your post!. Quallity content. With such a valuable blog i believe you deserve to be ranking even higher in the search engines
. Check out the link in my name. That links to a tool that really helped me rank high in google. This way even more people can enjoy your posts and nothing beats a big audiance 
Genial post and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you for your information.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up!
And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time!
Hi, how could i subscribe to your RSS Feed?
RSS just set up today
Hi there was just surfing around the internet looking for some new interesting articles when i located this post on an other blog. I had to leave you a post to tell you that I truly liked this article. I cant find much high quality anymore on the world wide web nowadays with all the spam on the market so whenever I do uncover a excellent blog post I cherish it. Keep up the terrific work and I am sure this blog is going to go a long ways and come to be extremely well-known