Before talking about a server, you have to ask whether you really need one. For many small organizations, the answer is no.
It is a common-sense question few providers ask, because a server bills better than a storage box. Yet a five-person business simply wanting to share files and back up its machines generally does not need a server as such: a well-configured NAS does the job, costs far less and uses much less power.
Outside those cases, a NAS covers most of a small organization's needs for a fraction of the price, with rights management, machine backups and remote access.
Centralizing files on a server improves organization and access rights. It protects against nothing: if the machine fails, burns or is encrypted by ransomware, everything goes together. So a server must itself be backed up, to disconnected media or to off-site storage. It is the point we always put in place, and the one most often missing when we take over an existing installation. See business backup.
Sizing, based on the number of users, the software to be hosted and the volume of data, with headroom for three to five years - a server that is too tight in two years is a false economy.
Redundant storage, so a disk failure does not stop work, with an alert when one fails. Without an alert, a dead disk in a redundant array goes unnoticed until the second one gives out.
Accounts and rights: one account per person, shared folders matching how the organization actually works, and access that closes cleanly when someone leaves.
The backup, with several generations kept and a real restore test carried out in front of you.
A UPS, allowing a clean shutdown during an outage. An abrupt power cut mid-write is one of the classic causes of a corrupted database.
Remote access, if it is needed, through an encrypted tunnel rather than exposing the server to the internet. See VPN installation.
Both have their merits, and the choice depends on your situation rather than on fashion.
On site: the data stays with you, local access is very fast, and there is no monthly subscription. In return, the hardware is yours, with its power consumption, its noise, its eventual replacement and its dependence on your connection for remote access.
Hosted: no hardware to manage, reachable from anywhere, and infrastructure more robust than any company's own room. In return, a recurring cost, total dependence on the quality of your internet connection, and local access that goes out and back. See our hosting and servers page.
Many small organizations do well with a mixed arrangement: everyday files locally for speed, an off-site copy for safety.
Running several virtual machines on one physical server makes sense as soon as there are several roles to keep apart: a file server, a business application, a test service. It simplifies backups - you back up a whole machine - and restores, which become much faster.
For a small business with a single use, though, virtualization adds a layer of complexity with no real benefit. As with the server itself, the question is whether the need exists, not whether the technology is available.
The configuration chosen, addresses, administrator accounts, restore procedure, backup schedule. Without that document, changing provider or a long absence becomes a problem. It belongs to you, and it is written to be usable by any technician.
A frequent request, often after the person who looked after it has left. The diagnosis always covers the same points: the state of the disks and the redundancy, whether the backups actually work, obsolete accounts still active, updates, exposure to the internet, and whether administrator access can be recovered. It is rare for all six to be right. See security audit and small business maintenance.
There is no threshold: the need decides, particularly business software that requires one. Many ten-person organizations run perfectly well on a NAS.
More than a NAS, and it makes noise. That is worth planning for: a server in an occupied office is rarely a good idea without a dedicated room or soundproofing.
With redundant storage, work carries on while the disk is replaced. For a more serious failure, only a tested backup determines how long it takes to resume.
It is strongly advised. An unmonitored server accumulates silent faults, starting with backups that have stopped and that nobody notices.
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We start by checking whether you really need one - often a NAS is enough.
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