Server for a small business: tower or rack?
Files shared on a USB stick, accounting software on a single PC, no backup: many small businesses work this way until a drive fails. A server centralises and protects your data, as long as you choose the right one.
Do you really need a server?
A server becomes useful when several people work on the same files, when you run business software over the network (accounting, sales management, hotel or medical software), when you need user accounts and access rights, or when your data must stay on your premises. For simple file sharing, a NAS or a cloud service may be enough.
Tower or rack?
- Tower server: looks like a large PC and sits on the floor or a desk. Quiet, easy to install and expandable: ideal for a business without a server room.
- Rack server: mounts in a 19-inch cabinet with the switch and router. Compact and tidy as you grow, but noisier, so it needs a ventilated technical room.
Simple rule: no cabinet or technical room, choose a tower. Already have a network cabinet or planning several servers, choose rack.
Components that matter
- an entry-level Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC processor;
- ECC memory, with extra headroom if you plan virtualisation;
- at least two mirrored drives (RAID 1), and SSDs for databases;
- a UPS to protect against power cuts.
RAID is not a backup
RAID protects against a drive failure, not against deletion, viruses or ransomware. You also need regular backups on another medium, ideally with an off-site copy, tested from time to time.
Servers at Alfabis
We supply tower and rack servers from leading brands, size them to your number of users, install them and set up backups. Browse our IT hardware in Marrakech and our IT support in Marrakech.
Contact: +212 660 46 88 90 (call or WhatsApp), Lotissement Al Massar, Quartier Industriel, Marrakech. Open Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm.
