Small businesses often struggle to find the time to fully understand technology beyond the basics and while they will happily invest in mobile devices, PCs and laptops, few think about how a server might benefit their organisation.
Servers are often thought of being only for use by large organisations rather than small business yet the truth is that regardless of the size of your organisation any small business can benefit from a server-based network.
Purchasing a server such as the Dell PowerEdge T320 with Windows Server 2012 operating system is the first step towards creating a robust and secure IT infrastructure to support the long term growth of your business.
A server provides your business with a central repository for storing files and databases such as customer database. It also enables document sharing across the company and allows you to take control of your most valuable asset – data.
Employee productivity is also increased as with a server they can easily access files at any time tracking down the latest customer contact list or worrying about who has the most-up-to-date version.
Another reason to invest in a dedicated server is the ability to conduct system wide back-ups and archiving as well as security and access control which will become increasing important as your business grows.
The good news is that investing in a server will not break the bank and a return on investment will soon be realised through the benefits gained in the simplification of workflows, improved productivity and efficiency.
There are a wide range of servers available to small businesses. A simple system can cost as little at 300 Euros which is cheaper than many laptops, however if a more robust solution is required ( a powerful server featuring more hard drive capacity, lots of memory, faster processor and operating system) then the cost will be around 1,000 Euros.
For relatively little cost a server will provide small business with peace of mind, allowing them to gain control over their data, enable employees to work better and faster together and ready the organisation for the introduction of new customer applications and services. As the business grows scalability can be achieved through the addition of more servers ensuring that small businesses are able to maintain their competitive edge.
Any organisation with two or more employees should consider having a server. But before making a purchase you should find the right partner to work with to ensure the decisions you make today will support the business further down the line. You need to assess the business today and with the help of an IT partner imagine where you think it is going to be in five years’ time. What servers and applications you are likely to require and how you are going to manage these.
If you want to find out more check out these useful sites:
- Dell PowerEdge Servers: http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/servers
- Choosing a Server: www.dell.co.uk/growwithus
- Intellectual property office http://www.ipo.gov.uk