T3chnology

If you’re thinking about purchasing a new server system for your office, there are a few things you should know. Mainly, what kind of server is best for your company? I ask this, because there are three different kinds, and not everyone understands the difference between them. These kinds are the tower server, the rack server, and the blade server. Let’s quick define the server before moving onto the different forms.

The Server

A server is a system that responds to requests across a computer network to provide a network service of some kind. Servers are computer programs running to serve the requests of other computer programs. They are generally run on a dedicated computer, which is then referred to as the server. A lot of networked computers are also capable of hosting servers, though, so it doesn’t have to run on a dedicated one. Servers provide essential services across a broad network, either to private users as part of an organization or to public users via the Internet.

Tower Form Factor

Tower servers look just like how they sound like they would look: like a tower. They resemble a regular tower computer. These servers are great for small businesses or start-ups because they are not as powerful as the other forms of servers. However, this doesn’t mean that they aren’t high-performing, because they are. Tower servers also tend to be less expensive than the other server form factors, an aspect that adds to their appeal.  

An example of a good tower server is the IBM eServer xSeries 240 server. This reliable and high-performance server can support two Intel Pentium III microprocessors with MMX technology, SIMD extensions, 32KB of L1 cache space and 256KB of L2 cache space. It boasts 4GB of ECC SDRAM memory and can support up to six hot-swappable hard disk drives for additional storage space.

Rack-Mount Form Factor

Rack servers tend to be the most common form and are often used as the basic building blocks for a majority of today’s data centers. They are scalable vertically and offer the ability for multiple arrays, meaning they can handle a variety of workloads. Traditional rack servers consist of 1U and 2U rack heights. 1U are a great choice for just about any data center and are good for everyday business operations. However, 1U servers are not very good for compute-hungry database applications. If your company needs more computing power, and is considering a rack server, then your best bet would be to go with 2U or 4U. These offer more computing power and have more memory support and expansion capabilities.

Blade Form Factor

For this post, I’m going to take a look at one of the most important components residing inside of your server system: the processor. First, let me make sure that we’re both working with the same definition of a server.

A server is a system that responds to requests across a computer network to provide a network service of some type. Servers basically computer programs that exist to serve the requests of other programs (however depressing that may sound), meaning they perform a task on behalf of clients. Those clients are connected to the server through a network that may run on the same computer. Servers provide essential services across a broad network. A high-performance and dependable server is so important to a business because it helps store all of the business’s important information and are essential in the communication between all of the different machines housed and used in an office’s network.

The Processor

While a server contains a lot of components that are essential to how the server performs, one of the absolute most important components, in my opinion, is the processor(s). A server’s processor, also commonly referred to simply as the CPU (which stands for Central Processing Unit), is typically thought of as the brain of the server system. As its name suggests, the processor controls all of the processor done through the server. It carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic mathematical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. Processors have an incredibly important role to play in a server’s overall performance, as they control all of the processes that are done through the system.

Currently, my Dell server is utilizing a Dell SL7PD Intel Xeon processor.  This powerful and efficient processor features a clock rate of 2.3GHz, a front bus speed of 800MHz, and offers 1MB of L1 cache space. This is just an example of the type of features a reliable processor should possess.

The Search for the Right Processor

If you’re thinking about upgrading your server with a new processor or two, there are a few things you will need to keep in mind. First, you’ll need to make sure that the processor you get is compatible with your server and all of its components. The components inside of a server work together to allow the server to perform in the way it does. Parts that are not compatible with one another will not be able to work well enough together, and the server’s performance will ultimately suffer because of it.

Another thing you’ll need to consider when looking for a processor is for your server is what features you would like the processor to possess. A good processor will have a fast clock rate, will offer some amount of cache space (the more, the better), and will have a decent core count.

Conclusion

A good, reliable server system is an immensely important aspect for any business. However, finding the right one can be a little difficult. With all of the options available, how do you narrow down the search and find the best server for you? There are a few things you should look for. You should pay close attention to the various features the server has to offer, like how many processors it can support, how much storage space it provides, and its overall ability to expand. Knowing what features your office needs will help narrow your search.

To give you a better idea of what is currently available for servers, I am going to compare two different servers from two different popular server manufacturers, laying out their more beneficial features. This will help you to see just how different servers can be from one another, and will hopefully help you to better understand what to look for.

IBM

First, let’s look at an IBM server. IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation. It manufactures and markets computer hardware and software, and offers infrastructure, hosting, and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. The model I’m going to discuss is the IBM System x3850 M2. IBM’s line of System X servers are IBM’s entry-level line of servers. However, they still pack a powerful punch. On top of that, they are highly expandable, meaning they can very easily grow with your business. The x3850 M2 offers quite a bit of good, business-oriented features. It can support up to four Intel Xeon processors and a maximum of up to four memory cards, each with eight DDR2 DIMM slots running at 533MHz and supporting up to 256GB of memory. It also supports Intel’s Virtualization Technology, and is built on the latest eX4 Architecture, which is the fourth generation of the IBM Enterprise X-Architecture technology. This server is an excellent choice for any office, and if purchased refurbished, it will save you quite a bit of money.

Sun

Now let’s turn to Sun. While no longer a participant in the computer manufacturing industry today, Sun servers still prove to be some of the top-rated machines in the IT industry today. The Sun Fire X4150 server, specifically, offers some excellent features. It is an enterprise-class two-socket rack-mount x64 system. It packs high performance and headroom expansion into a compact 1U footprint, allowing your office to save a bit of space in its data center. It can support up to two Intel Xeon processors, 64GB of memory, and up to eight SAS hard drives or up to six SATA hard drives. It also offers a reliable cooling system, a feature that is incredibly important for any server, as it is absolutely necessary to keep your server as cool as possible. The Sun Fire X4150 is powerful and expandable, making it an excellent choice for any office.

Looking to upgrade you office’s current desktop computers? Look no further than Dell’s OptiPlex line of desktop computers. Dell’s OptiPlex computers are aimed at the corporate, government, and education markets. They are designed with the business professional in mind and offer a wide range of excellent features. From the ability to completely customize and expand your office’s desktops, to powerful performance and affordable prices, Dell’s line of OptiPlex desktop computers can’t be beat.

Budget

Before I break down a couple different models in the OptiPlex line, I should mention one very important aspect to successfully upgrading your office with new desktop computers: sticking to a set budget. Staying within a budget that has been previously set will help you to save money when buying new computers, something that is very important in the country’s current economic state. So, how do you stay within your budget when buying computers for your entire office? There are a couple different ways. One way would be to only purchase computers boasting features that you are absolutely sure to use. For example, most likely, you’ll be using your business computers for exactly that: business. You’ll be answering emails, creating spreadsheet and word documents, and researching on the Internet. You probably won’t be watching many high definition videos, or playing any graphic-heavy video games. So, do you really need a desktop with the latest, greatest graphics processor? Probably not. If you bought a set of computers featuring that graphics processor, you’d be paying for a feature you’ll never fully utilize. It’d be such a waste of money.

Another way to save money when shopping for computers for your office is to buy refurbished ones. Refurbished computers offer everything new computers do. They perform at the same factory standards and are generally coupled with a decent warranty and technical support if needed (this is assuming you go through a reputable company.). The only real difference between refurbished and new is the price. You can usually find a refurbished computer for just a fraction of what a new computer what cost. Buying refurbished computers instead of new ones will allow you to get all of the features that you want at a price you can easily afford.

Comparison of OptiPlex GX960 and GX520

The Dell OptiPlex GX960 desktop boasts a highly expandable and customizable design, meaning it can easily grow with your business. It offers an Intel Q45 Express chipset and can support Intel Core 2 Quad processors as well as four DIMMs of high-speed memory. It is a small form factor (SFF) desktop computer which offers one internal bay and two external bays. It is an extremely powerful and expandable machine that is sure to improve the productivity of your office.

The Dell OptiPlex GX520 desktop offers a high-quality design. It can support an Intel Celeron D 326/2.53GHz processor and two memory slots of 512MB of DDR2 RAM. Like the GX960, this is a small form factor desktop. It offers one Serial ATA port as well as eight USB 2.0 ports. Its cooling system is extremely quiet, which is sure to be greatly appreciated by your employees.

Conclusion

Businesses thrive on good communication. Because of that, it is incredibly important for your business to have a reliable phone system in place for your employees to use and for your clients to use to get a hold of you. My company has always used Avaya phone products, and it has been working out really well for us.

Avaya is a privately-held global provider of business communications and collaboration systems. It supplies businesses around the globe with contact centers, networking technology (such as routers, switches and other networking hardware), unified communications, and video products services. The company is a leader in both Unified Communications and contact centers, and provides excellent phones for a variety of businesses.

My business recently upgraded our entire phone system to the Avaya 700212186 IP Phones. This has proven to be an excellent choice. We had an older version of an Avaya phone before, so this new system was completely compatible with our IP500 Small Office Edition 1.3 server. Plus, these phones provide the same advanced calling features and functions as my business’s old Avaya phone setup, so I didn’t really have to retrain my employees how to use them at all. That saves me a great deal of time! These are full featured telephones. They boast a two-way, hands-free speakerphone. This has been great in all of the conference calls I make every day. These phones also have ten fixed feature buttons and twenty-four programmable buttons. It has a message waiting indicator as well as embedded applications such as speed dial lists and call logs. This has been especially helpful to my employees. It is easy to tell that these telephones have been designed specifically with small businesses in mind.

All of the features I listed above are great, but honestly, the feature I really appreciate the most, is the fact that these phones can either sit on a desk or be mounted to a wall. We’ve mounted a couple to the wall for some of our employees, and it has saved them a great deal of workspace. We have small desks where I work, so taking the phone off of the desk allowed them the ability to use a second monitor, which has helped their productivity immensely.

Being a small business owner, I didn’t have a huge budget for new phones. So, I decided to buy these phones refurbished. I’m really happy with that decision; the telephones work exactly like new ones would, and I saved so much! Besides the fact that I didn’t want to spend too much on my company’s phone system, another reason I choose to go refurbished was how good it is for the environment. The retailer I purchased my system from takes old devices and cleans them through and through. Then, before selling those devices, the retailer puts them through diagnostic tests to make sure they are working perfectly. I like to think that since I bought these phones refurbished, I helped keep them in working condition and out of a landfill. It’s a good feeling.

The term “firewall” was originally used back in the 1800’s and referred to a wall that was built to confine potential fires and keep them from spreading. The definition of the term has not changed much as it slowly became integrated into computer technology. Today, a firewall works just about the same way as it originally did, it is designed to prevent unauthorized access to a private network. Firewalls filter messages exchanged within a network and the Internet and block any messages that do not meet specific security criteria. A firewall servers to regulate the traffic between two networks while providing excellent protection against any attacks, allowing for secure network access for all authorized users.

The first firewalls used in computers were known as packet filter firewalls. These firewalls worked by dividing computer space into packets and then inspecting each packet individually. While this method was effective against computer viruses and bugs, it was rather slow. Because technology has continued to advance in rapid speed, the threat for your computer to get a virus or be hacked have become bigger than ever. Because of this, firewall technology had to advance as well. Firewalls are now more complex than ever before, and can protect our computers in ways unimaginable when they were first implemented. There are two basic types of firewalls. These are software firewalls and hardware firewalls. A software firewall is a program that is installed in an individual computer. The program then sets up individual walls in the computer’s software. This is an excellent form of virus protection for basic home use where there are fewer users, but it is a hassle for big companies to use, as the program has to be installed individually into each employee’s computer and then updated every so often. A hardware firewall is a physical form of firewall. It is installed into one server and, from there, can function for the whole office. If a hardware firewall is integrated into a comprehensive security system then it can include virtual private network (VPN) support as well.

Among the two different types of firewalls, there are three different versions of firewalls.

Application Layer Firewalls

These firewalls work within the packet system of firewalls, but are more advanced than when the packet system was first introduced. They are programmed to recognize known pathogens, such as the Trojan horse virus and other computer worms. The Application Layer Firewalls offer additional inspection layer which gives the firewall further filtering advantages.

Network Layer Firewalls

This firewall consists of two sub-firewall types: the stateful and the stateless. The stateful firewall can be used in active sessions whereas stateless firewalls cannot. This is because they use standard state information. Stateless firewalls are cheaper than stateful, but are often less reliable.

Hardware Firewalls

Hardware firewalls are the newest form of firewall and do not resemble the old packet method in any way. This type of firewall was invented and manufactured by Cisco. It uses computer hardware which is situated strategically in a server or a computer to protect and filter information.