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There are pros and cons to each approach and what you decide ultimately comes down to the individual needs of your business. Hardware or the cloud – choosing the right server for SMBsĪ crucial decision you will need to make is whether to have a physical server on-premises or opt for a cloud-based solution. This anonymity offers your business an additional layer of security. By routing web traffic and access through a proxy, your network’s IP addresses are protected from public view (the proxy IP address is shown instead). Proxy servers are worth considering for businesses of any size.
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There are many different types of server and organizations will often use a separate server for each purpose. When it comes to choosing a server for a small or mid-sized business, the key question is: what do you need the server to do? In essence, you want to allow your business room to grow, but not invest so heavily that you’re overpaying for resources you don’t need. It will also give you the ability to protect your business information with a dedicated backup and recovery system, as well as allow for easier management of network security. Doing so will allow you and your employees to access software and files from anywhere and give you greater control over access rights to certain information, such as personnel files or payroll data.
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Once you have two or more computers in your business or need remote access to the company network, it’s time to invest in a server. These are served from a central computer rather than having multiple versions of the files stored locally on each machine. For example, if you have five employees in an office each working on a different computer, they should all be able to access the same software and documents. In simple terms, it’s a powerful computer that is used to serve information and software to employees, customers, and other computers. In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know including what a server is, deciding between hardware or the cloud, choosing the right operating system, and the best way to set it all up.
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Luckily, setting up a server for a small or mid-sized business (SMB) doesn’t have to be difficult. But with a seemingly endless array of choices and important decisions to be made, you might be wondering where to start.
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From installing windows to creating a server room in your office.Īs your business grows and you take on more employees, the time will come where you need a server to keep your office network and business running efficiently. Everything you need to know about how to set up a network and server for your small business.
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