You Can’t Ignore the Elephant in the Server Room

If there’s an issue that everyone is hesitant to acknowledge, it is said that there is an elephant in the room. Many companies may find that today, these elephants live in their server rooms. We’ll acknowledge these elephants and talk about a few ways that you can evict them from your company’s IT.

Server Software in Need of an Update... or Seven
A server acts as the epicenter of a business, a central point that allows each workstation to share data with each other. This makes it very important to keep your server’s software up-to-date. Otherwise, your server will not be able to send and receive data as efficiently as your business needs.

Additionally, an updated server is also more resilient against cyberattack. As hackers and other malicious users are always working to improve their tools, the only way to keep your servers (and by extension, your business) protected is to keep the security that protects them up-to-date. After all, just because your defenses were able to stop one attack doesn’t mean they’ll be able to stop the next.

Keeping Your Servers Maintained
It is also important to remember that there is more to your servers than their software. The hardware that powers your server also needs some TLC in order for your company to maintain operations.

In order to keep your servers properly maintained, you need to undergo a few specific activities on a regular basis to ensure your network has a reliable foundation. Dust can wreak havoc on your IT components, so keeping dust and other such debris away from your server is a critical concern. The entirety of your business relies in some way or another on that server, so in order to maintain business operations, you need to keep it in proper working order. Furthermore, it is also important to keep in mind that even the most well-maintained technology will not last forever. Your server’s components will eventually need to be replaced.

Making regular maintenance a priority will help you get the most out of your servers, optimizing your return on your investment and making it less painful to replace them when the time comes.

Considering Virtualization
A business will often require that many applications are running in tandem with one another, which might eventually lead to a need for multiple servers as the business grows. As a result, the business is then responsible for supporting and maintaining each of these high-end devices, in addition to powering them and cooling them. This is an expensive option, especially when a business’ server needs can be consolidated to a single device through virtualization.

By dividing a powerful server into sections, that lone server can then host multiple operating systems, each OS with its own resources. This way, a business can take multiple servers, each operating at a fraction of their capacity, and replace them with a single server that still meets their needs.

Unlike the elephants that can be found in any given room, your server’s issues cannot be disregarded. Directive is in the elephant-wrangling business, at least where IT is involved. Call us today at 607.433.2200 for assistance with your IT, infrastructure and all.