In today’s world, everyone is looking for the best ways to save money. Few industries embody this more than the server industry. With the world shifting to a digital sphere, information workers are finding themselves working remotely more than ever before. This presents new opportunities for businesses to operate more cheaply while offering greater levels of efficiency.
However, running a business means taking on responsibilities that you might not have had to consider when you were working in a stable environment. Chief among these is security. No one likes to think about security lapses, but given the current state of IT, these events are unavoidable.
What is worrying is that even small businesses are not prepared for the cyber threats that await them. Far from being issues for tech-savvy mega-corporations like Google and Microsoft, cybersecurity is becoming a major concern for businesses of all sizes.
Even more worryingly, small businesses are often ill-equipped to deal with these issues. The cost of acquiring quality cybersecurity professionals is becoming prohibitive, and the skillset that these individuals can bring to bear on a problem is beyond the capability of most small businesses.
So, if you’re the owner of a small business, what can you do to prepare? What are the best servers that you can use to make your business more secure? Let’s explore.
The Benefits Of Dedicated Servers
There are many reasons why businesses should consider dedicated servers. For one, they provide a dedicated IP address that is exclusively assigned to the business. This prevents problems with online security that could arise from an IoT (Internet of Things) device or other connected device on the network using the same IP address as your business.
Another advantage is that your dedicated server will provide you with a larger storage capacity than a standard server. This means that you can store more files, applications, or other digital content.
Dedicated servers also allow you to have a greater level of control over the applications that run on the system. This provides further benefits in terms of security and efficiency. For example, you can disable or remove unneeded applications altogether.
If you’re looking to save money, consider whether or not to run your own dedicated server. It’s likely that you’ll see substantial savings if you do so, especially if you consider the fact that you won’t need to pay for pricey cloud services.
An Introduction To Servers
What is a server? Simply put, a server is a device that can serve content more quickly than a typical computer can. The concept behind servers is to distribute work so that multiple devices can work on one task. For example, if you have a file to be uploaded to the web, you may want to distribute this task among multiple devices so that the file can be uploaded more quickly. This makes servers ideal for those who need to perform computational tasks quickly.
There are three common types of servers: web hosting, email hosting, and database hosting. Let’s explore each in turn.
Web Hosting
Web hosting is simply putting a website online. However, what makes web hosting different from simply publishing a website is that you can use a host’s services to manage the content that you’ve published. This includes providing you with a domain name and hosting the website on their physical servers. You don’t need to know much about websites to use web hosting; all you need is an internet connection and the knowledge to put a website online.
What is great about web hosting is that they provide you with a dedicated IP address that is registered to your domain. This means that the content that you upload to your site can only be accessed via the domain name that you’re assigned. This prevents any security issues that could arise from an external device or person trying to access your content.
Additionally, since most web hosts provide you with a dedicated IP address, you don’t have to worry about someone else’s content being accessible from the same IP address as yours. This could cause issues if you’re trying to maintain a professional image while also running a fast food joint or adult entertainment enterprise.
Email Hosting
If you’re using email marketing to communicate with customers, you’re certainly already aware that emails can be problematic. This is especially true if you have an individual or business account with a major email provider. When you use a personal email account to send marketing emails, there is no guarantee that they will be delivered.
While it’s tempting to use a free email service from a major provider, this is probably not a good idea. Instead, you should look into the various features that each service offers and determine which ones are necessary for your business. Some of the more popular email hosting services are Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo! If you need extensive feature sets, then you should consider moving to a paid service.
What is great about email hosting is that you get a dedicated IP address that is registered to your domain; this makes emails completely independent of any other network activity. In other words, your emails will not be accessible via other devices on the network unless they have been explicitly forwarded to that IP address.
You might also want to look into services that will allow you to create professional-looking emails quickly. With so many people working remotely these days, it’s essential that you can produce quality email content quickly and efficiently. Additionally, some forms of email hosting allow for email marketing on websites via a plugin or built-in functionality.
Database Hosting
If you’re looking to set up a separate server to house a database, there are many reasons why this could be beneficial. For one, a database server provides additional security by keeping all of your critical business information stored in a single place. Additionally, a database server provides you with the ability to scale your operation as needed. As your business grows, you may want to add additional servers to facilitate additional transactions.
What is great about database hosting is that you get a dedicated IP address that is registered to your domain. This means that the content that you upload to your site can only be accessed via the domain name that you’re assigned. This prevents any security issues that could arise from an external device or person trying to access your content.
Additionally, since most database servers provide you with a dedicated IP address, you don’t have to worry about someone else’s content being accessible from the same IP address as yours. This could cause issues if you’re trying to maintain a professional image while also running a fast food joint or adult entertainment enterprise.
Dedicated Servers: Cost Effective
One of the major reasons why businesses might choose to run their own dedicated servers is cost efficiency. As we discussed, dedicating a server to your business reduces the amount of cloud services that you’ll need to purchase. This is especially beneficial for SMBs (Small and Medium sized Businesses) that can’t afford to buy expensive cloud services.
Additionally, if you decide to go with a reputable web hosting company, you can be sure that your data is protected and that you’ll have access to advanced features. This is especially beneficial for businesses that need to protect their most sensitive data.
Running your own dedicated server is not for everyone, but it’s good to know that there are alternatives if you’re interested in saving money while maintaining a secure environment.
Dedicated Servers: Scalable
Another major reason why businesses might choose to run their own dedicated servers is scalability. As we discussed, most servers provide you with a dedicated IP address that is registered to your domain name. This makes it easy to add additional servers as needed to accommodate increased traffic.
Additionally, if you decide to go with a reputable web hosting company, you can be sure that your data is protected and that you’ll have access to advanced features. This is especially beneficial for businesses that need to scale their operation quickly.
Running your own dedicated server is not for everyone, but it’s good to know that there are alternatives if you’re interested in saving money while maintaining a secure environment.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, this article will help you better understand what a server is and the various roles that they play in our digital world. Most importantly, it will assist you in deciding whether or not to run your own dedicated server. In the end, it’s all about choosing what is best for your business and what capabilities you need for the role that you’re playing.
Ultimately, you need to look at what you need and what you can afford. If you need a quick and easy way to set up email marketing, then most likely a free service from a major provider will suffice. However, if you’re looking for a secure business environment that can accommodate rapid growth, then running your own dedicated server is the way to go.