What’s in a server?

A practical guide to small-business servers. We guide you through the options

Here’s a common scenario. You’re starting out in business or looking to expand, and realise that a handful of standalone PCs and the odd notebook aren’t going to get you far.

You’ve tried networking them together, but sharing documents and other files isn’t as easy as you thought.

You’d also like to be able to exchange emails, contact lists, diaries and other information – and you don’t know how to go about it. You think you need a server, but know little or nothing about what’s involved.

So, what are the options, how much will a server cost, and how do you make sure you get value for money?

File sharing
Servers come in all shapes and sizes, costing anything from about £300 up to hundreds of thousands of pounds. However, you don’t have to spend a great deal. Indeed, if file sharing is your main requirement, you don’t need a full server running Windows or Linux.

A Nas (network-attached storage) appliance is probably all you will need.

Nas appliances are servers dedicated to the task of network file sharing. They may be based on industry-standard server hardware but that’s not always the case.

They may also run Windows or a Linux OS but, again, you don’t need to know that, because most are configured and managed using a browser.

In fact, the only things you really need to know are whether or not they have the capacity you require, the ability to handle the number of users you want to support, and what kind of upgrade, reliability and backup options are available.

For example, where only a handful of users are involved, something as small as the Buffalo Linkstation Pro could be all that’s needed.

Offering up to 750MB of shared disk space and starting at about £150 ex Vat, a small Nas appliance, such as the Linkstation Pro, can provide enough space fo r five to 10 people. Moreover, it needs hardly any management.

All you have to do is plug it into the network and map some local drives to it (see below).

On the downside, entry-level Nas appliances will have only one disk and no additional redundancy or availability features (see below), nor can they be upgraded if you run out of space.

However, there are plenty of other more capable and expandable products to choose from that do offer such features. Buffalo and other companies such as Iomega, Dell, HP, and IBM all sell Nas appliances to suit a wide range of requirements.

In terms of price, about £50 per user is a good measure. For a 20-user network, therefore, a budget of about £1,000 should get you a reasonable product with extra redundancy built in, from a top-name supplier.

A ‘proper’ server
Another big drawback to a Nas appliance is that most can only be used to provide shared network storage.

If you want to be able to run other applications, such as your own web, email or database server, for example, then a general-purpose server running Windows or Linux will be needed, and that can involve lots of decisions to make sure it’s right for you.

The golden rule is to ‘buy the best you can afford’. That means fixing a budget to include both hardware and software and choosing one of the big brand names, such as Dell, Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, IBM, or NEC.

That way you make sure you have the best technology, together with good backup and support services. It also means opting for a server specification that will suit your current requirements and allow for further expansion and changes.

Unfortunately, sizing a server is something of a fine art and you may want to seek expert help before parting with any cash.

However, we have listed below the key features to look for, together with a number of general recommendations that are applicable to small-business buyers.

Processor
Dual-core processors are worth buying, even for basic file-server duties, although on a small network very little processing work is involved. If you w ant to run server-based email, web or database servers, look for multiprocessor servers and choose SMP for virtualisation.

Memory
Choose Error Checking and Correction (ECC) memory for reliability. At least 1GB will be required, even for basic file and print sharing, with more needed to handle additional applications – check what the software vendors recommend and then double their suggestions.

Storage
Size the disk storage carefully. You’ll need enough space for the operating system and any applications you want to run, plus all your shared data.

If possible, go for storage that can be easily expanded should your requirements increase. Hot-swapping of disks isn’t something most small businesses require.

Consider multiple disks, or mirrored and Raid-protected storage arrays for additional reliability.

Network
Choose at least a Gigabit Ethernet interface and connect the server to a Gigabit Ethernet switch. For additional load-balancing and high availability, specify multiple network interfaces.

Other features
Multiple power supplies and a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) are worth having. Remote management could be helpful, although on a small-business server it’s not a crucial option.

Pay close attention to the software you will run on the server. Windows is a popular choice. However, it’s not the only option, and there are a number of good Linux distributions now available that are equally suited to the small-business market (see attached pdf).

Expect to pay a lot more for a general purpose server than a network appliance – about £75-£100 per user if you want to run Windows, as the software can be expensive, or slightly less if you opt for Linux. The same also applies when it comes to applications.

Although bundled solutions – where applications are included with the operating system – often appear to offer the best value, you may not get the full package. Brand leaders usually become popular because their products are ‘best of breed’ and worth paying extra for.

Virtual servers
Instead of completely separate physical servers, you might want to consider virtualisation, where several virtual servers can be hosted on the same hardware platform, each with its own operating system and applications.

No special hardware is required and the software involved is available free of charge.

The two most popular products are VMWare Server and Microsoft’s Virtual Server 2005. Both are designed for use by small to medium-sized businesses and can be run on industry-standard hardware.

You’ll then need a host operating system which, in the case of VMWare Server, can be Windows or Linux, while, as you might expect, Virtual Server 2005 will only run on Windows.

Either way, after the software is installed, it runs like any other application and lets you configure multiple virtual machines (VMs).

As far as the VMs are concerned, each has access to a processor (there’s support for two-way SMP with VMware Server), plus memory, disk space, network connections and everything else you would expect to find on a ‘real’ system.

Each VM can also run a guest operating system and applications, with both products able to run more or less any implementation of Windows (desktop or server), plus Linux and, in the case of VMware, some versions of Unix too.

The virtualisation software shares the real physical resources between the various virtual machines, so the hardware involved needs to be well specified.

However, that’s not difficult and a virtual server can be copied and brought online in a matter of minutes rather than days or weeks.

Making backups also becomes a lot easier with virtualisation, and several servers can be consolidated onto one, more modern hardware platform, without having to upgrade the software involved.

Note, however, that any software you run on a virtual server must still be licensed, and you should check with the vendor involved as to its terms for such uses.

Sharing printers
Here’s another networking secret – you don’t need a server to share printers. Of course, you can do it that way and it does have benefits. Windows, for example, can install drivers on demand when users first access a server-shared printer.

However, there are lots of good reasons you shouldn’t.

To start with, sharing via a server limits where printers can be positioned (they have to be fairly close to the server). And if the server breaks down, no-one will be able to print anything.

It’s far better to buy printers with built-in network print servers or custom print-server devices. Both enable printers to be connected directly to the network almost anywhere.

They also enable printers to be shared on a mix of Windows, Unix/Linux, Netware and Apple networks, with configuration and management all done from a browser.

These printers don’t cost much either. Most vendors have models with network interfaces built in (an ‘n’ in the model number is a common giveaway) adding, on average, about £30-£50 ex Vat to the price.

For £50-£100 you can also buy external print-server appliances – some of which are designed to work with just one printer, others with several printers on a mix of networks.

Don’t forget backup
Lastly, don’t forget to make arrangements to back up data held on your server and to ensure that you can recover the whole server should a serious fault ari se.

Most server vendors will fit backup hardware and install suitable software to do this, if you order it with a new server. Otherwise it’s up to you to make the arrangements.

Storage options
Server buyers are faced with a bewildering range of options, especially when it comes to storage, and not just in terms of capacity and performance, but resiliency, too – a crucial consideration on a server where the storage will be shared by lots of people.

Here’s a quick beginner’s guide to some of the options and jargon.

Serial ATA (Sata)
Serial ATA is a recently developed technology for connecting hard disks to a desktop PC or server that’s both fast and affordable. On most small-business servers, Sata storage is cheaper yet just as good as the more traditional SCSI alternative.

SCSI (pronounced scuzzi) is faster and more robust than the ATA storage technology traditionally used on desktops. It can be expensive and is being rapidly replaced by Sata on small-business servers. SCSI is a good choice where large amounts of storage are concerned.

Look out for Serial Attached SCSI (Sas) based on Sata hardware.

Disk mirroring
Data is stored on two disks simultaneously so that a backup copy is instantly available in the event of a failure. Disk mirroring can be achieved in software and so provides a high level of affordable data redundancy, regardless of disk technology.

Disk array
Data is ‘striped’ across multiple disks in an ‘array’ to improve performance and redundancy, often with additional error checking and correction (ECC) information to provide on-the-fly access to lost data.

It can be expensive, especially if you want to hot-swap disks, which requires a dedicated controller.

Storage-area network (San)
An arrangement where storage is remote from the servers that use it, connected via a dedicated storage network. It’s mostly used by larger companies with multiple servers. Ethernet-based iSCSI San technology is starting to be used by small businesses.