A network can provide very valuable tools for your company to share information among employees and with the entire world while being able to better encrypt and protect data for your company’s safety.
However, selecting the right hardware for your network can be difficult – especially since investment in quality technology can be expensive. Keeping in mind your company’s needs and your employee’s preference and habits, you should try to select a server that meets both their needs and your price point without sacrificing quality or functionality.
Understanding what kind of technology and hardware your company needs
When purchasing a new server, whether for establishing a new network or replacing an old piece of hardware, it is important to know what you’re looking for and to select a product that is neither inadequate nor too sophisticated for your business. This will help your company stay on target when budgeting for a new piece of equipment. As servers are designed to run and share multi-user applications that offices depend on such as an email network, printing capabilities, intra network communication, and calendars – it is important that you select the technology that will meet the speed requirements of your business.
Promoting collaboration in the workplace is easy when you have the essential tools that servers can provide. With a central database for documents, contacts, and other critical data, coworkers may be more inclined to be more communicative and collaborative (that is, if they receive training on your new server hardware system). Companies eager to promote this team atmosphere should select servers with enough space for all users to store data on this centralized system. Servers handle the programs and databases that your employees need in order to share information seamlessly throughout their workday, so if there are many employees or you work in a net-heavy, fast-paced working environment, you should really consider investing in a server that has the ability to support those functions.
1. Talk with your business associates.
While every business’s needs are different, chances are that people you have personal or social connections to will have faced similar network upgrade challenges to yours. Ask around. Most people are happy to brag up the great new computer hardware their company has purchased, if they’ve gotten a good deal recently.
Working with your associates helps ensure you’re finding solutions that worked for businesses that are truly like yours.
2. Factor in your short term and long term goals.
If you haven’t lately, have a conversation with the other senior executives and talk about where you want your business to be in five or ten years. Chances are, the network hardware you purchase is going to be vital to enabling those goals.
Looking down the line usually gives plenty of guidance, especially when it seems like there’s an overwhelming number of choices for products that merely meet your needs at the moment. Choose your purchase so that it creates a clear IT upgrade path that enables those longer-term goals.
3. Research reviews .
It works for consumer products, and it works for business products as well. Virtually every major hardware vendor has a dedicated community for users to share tips and experiences, and there are plenty of popular independent sites with plenty of tech-savvy users.
These communities can be especially useful when you’re down to two or three options, and you’re looking for personal experiences with the hardware. Searching for “Router 1 vs Router 2” almost always brings up relevant opinions as well.
4. Try the Cloud instead.
Depending on your goals, there may be managed Cloud-based services that eliminate the need for new equipment , as well as the manpower needed for it. Offsite data storage can quickly eliminate costly on-premise servers, and similarly, virtualized networks can often reduce the need for physical network hardware.
Don’t purchase more equipment than you need. The ongoing costs, such as maintenance and power consumption, mean that Cloud solutions are usually more affordable, if the service covers your needs.
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