Table of Contents
Over 4 billion people access the internet regularly. That massive number has led businesses to move all of their data online.
Whether your business is considering moving its file storage solutions to “the cloud” or it’s considering launching its first website, investing in a reliable server is necessary.
Most business owners will rent servers to fulfill their needs. Others will go the extra mile and buy a server of their own.
In this article, we’ll discuss the difference between renting a remotely managed server and buying your own. Then, we’ll go over a handful of best servers options that you should consider picking up if you choose to buy.
Renting vs Buying a Server… What’s the Difference
Most business owners have probably heard of companies like “Dropbox” and “Host Gator”. These companies provide different services that revolve around the same core product… Servers.
In Dropbox’s case, they rent you space on their remotely managed servers where you can store your business’ files. Host Gator allows you to do the same thing and they’ll also host your website for you.
In order to use either provider’s servers, you’ll need to pay them a monthly “rental fee”. Many businesses love this rental arrangement because it relieves them of the responsibility of needing to maintain a server, configure it, and buy one in the first place.
Over time however, server rental costs can add up. Also, unless you’re investing in a “dedicated hosting” rental plan, you’ll be sharing a server with other companies which poses security risks.
For businesses that want to save money in the long run and keep their data secure, the best solution is to purchase a server.
When you purchase a server, the device sits in your office. Once configured by your in-house or remote IT team (which you can view here to learn more about), you’ll be ready to store your files and host your website while forgoing rental costs.
What Are the Best Servers to Buy?
If you’re leaning towards purchasing your own in-house server, we don’t blame you. Cost-conscious businesses that are adamant on spending more now to save more later frequently go with this option.
Still, server shopping is tough. Depending on what your needs are, you’ll need to filter through thousands of options.
For example, not every server is good for hosting websites. Website-intended servers will need the processing power to handle large volumes of traffic so your site’s visitors don’t experience slow-downs during “peak periods”.
Furthermore, many people mix up NAS devices and servers. NAS devices are good for file storage but when it comes to intense use (website hosting or large internal teams managing files simultaneously) they can come up short on the performance front.
Our advice is to discuss your options with your IT team before buying. For some best servers picks to start your search with, consider our suggestions below.
Dell PowerEdge T30
The Dell PowerEdge T30 is an outstanding entry-level server. It features a solid processor, low energy consumption, and a solid 1TB for $450.00 price to space ratio.
This server’s tower is exceptionally spacious. That means that your IT team can outfit it with upgrades as the need arises.
If you’re looking for a little more power right out of the box, the T30 has an alternate model that features 16gb of ram for $600.00.
Lenovo ThinkServer YS150
If you have a brand affinity for Lenovo, the ThinkServer YS150 is worth a look. It’s Lenovo’s entry-level server and packs a solid punch with its high memory (up to 64gb) and high storage space (up to 40TB) capacity.
This server is a great choice for business owners that are looking for a quiet and power efficient server that’s built for small to medium-sized enterprises.
HP ProLiant Microserver Gen8
One of the main gripes small business owners have when it comes to servers is their bulky builds. HP’s ProLiant Microserver Gen8 takes that feedback and crushes it with its incredible sub-7-kilogram build. It does this without sacrificing much in the way of power.
This server has the ability to leverage up to 16gb of RAM and features Intel’s fabulous Zeon E3 processors.
Scan 3XS SER-T25
Sometimes you need a server that can carry an onboard graphics card. One of our favorite cost-effective server models that can do exactly that is the Scan 3XS SER-T25.
This flagship server is a powerful machine that’s powered by two Xeon processors, NVIDIA GT610 GFX, and 64GB of RAM.
If you’re looking for a labor incentive server that’s also relatively small and quiet given it’s power, this device is well worth your consideration.
Asus TS500
Rounding out our list of best servers suggestions is the Asus TS500. This server is an excellent prosumer device that is made to order as far as RAM and internal space is concerned.
The Asus TS500 is yet another server on our list that features Xeon processors and also has Intel’s Intelligent Platform Management Interface which allows you to access your server remotely without third-party applications.
Wrapping Up the Best Servers You Can Buy
You have a lot of options when it comes to servers. If you should choose to forgo the traditional route of renting in favor of buying, we recommend that you start your best servers search with our suggestions above.
If you do, we’re confident that the model you pick will serve all of your business’ needs exceptionally well!
Servers and technology can be complicated… Our team at Droidmen are here to make things more clear.
Learn more about all of the latest business tech today by checking out more of our content!
