Rack Servers: Would You Be Better Off With One?

rack servers

If your business has multiple employees that need access to the same resources, then a server, the physical alternative to cloud-hosting, may be a necessity. It means that tasks for network and systems administrators are easier, configuration changes and security updates only need to be applied to the one server computer, and anyone on the network has access to resources such as email, shared calendars, printers etc.

There are three different types of server and it mainly has to do with the way they are physically configured, but nevertheless this still can have an impact on the way the server(s) can perform. Here we go through each type, tower, rack and blade servers to help you figure out which is the best for you.

Tower Servers

Upright, stand alone servers, tower servers include all the traditional server components. Because of this, tower servers take up more space than other forms of server and are restricted to the amount of floor or wall space you may have.

Tower servers are ideal for small or remote office environments, as they are quiet and inexpensive but can take up a lot of room.

Blade Servers

Blade servers are more like compacted versions of servers, with several servers operating within one chassis. Components such as cooling and ventilation are removed from the servers themselves and are shared among several servers.

More economical than a tower server, they can have trouble with overheating, though most modern blades have a better design and have space for air circulation. They can increase efficiency and save space in comparison to tower servers as they are neater.

Blade servers use a modular, integrated design approach that is easy to change or add to should you feel the need. These types of servers are ideal for data centres and use with external storage, and for companies that are looking to grow slowly.

Rack Servers

If you are a bigger business and need to run more than one server, then a rack server is the best type for your needs. A server rack allows you to fit many servers into the same unit.

However, this does mean that they may need active cooling and air circulation, many businesses dedicate isolated rooms to their servers so they can have their own climate controlled system to make sure they do not overheat. They are far more economical spatially, and have access points on at least two sides of the unit.

Rack servers are easily expandable with lots of storage and memory. They are usually more expensive than tower servers but less than blades.

How To Decide

  • Figure out how much data you have now, and how much you create month by month. Do you need a server that lets you add to it easily?
  • Where possible, always buy the ‘recommended’ amount of memory as opposed to the ‘required’ amount for any software.
  • Is back-up available with the server?
  • Find out how much support is available for the possibility of an issue arising with the server.

Darcie Hewitt-Dudding writes on behalf of the Netshop; from server racks to Ethernet cables to telecoms, Netshop is an online outlet that provides the best in computer network equipment.

9 thoughts on “Rack Servers: Would You Be Better Off With One?”

  1. Hey Jane,
    Great information!!! I was not having any information about the rack servers. This post enhanced my knowledge. Thanks for the share.

    Reply
  2. Thanks for the share, Jane. You’ve given me new information about rack servers. You have given a clear and simple way of explanation about this topic.

    Reply
  3. You have enumerated the different kinds of servers, their specific uses, their maintenance, and most of all, their benefits to users like me. Thank you very much for sharing such informative article.

    Reply
  4. Hello Jane, and thank you for your information-packed post. I actually enjoyed reading it as much as I was taking notes. I never thought there are different and many types of servers aside from rack servers. Glad to know there are people like you who chose to share what they know in the world.

    Reply
  5. Two-post Server rack security system provide just two vertical posts; a piece of equipment can be mounted either via its front panel holes, or close to its center of gravity (to minimize load on its front panel), depending on the design of the rack. Two-post racks are most often used for telecommunication installations. ECC memory devices that detect and correct errors are used; non-ECC memory is more likely to cause data corruption

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