Server maintenance is an important process in keeping your businesses’ computer network running smoothly.
Just like how your car needs regular maintenance, your servers need them too.
And just like your car, if it goes on too long without maintenance, you can expect a catastrophic failure.
Servers are no different.
Without regular maintenance, you may experience partial or complete server failures - resulting in loss of important data and other costly damages.
What Is A Server?
Servers are basically computers that are specially designed to handle more exhausting jobs.
They’re usually outfitted with superior processing hardware, more memory and other high quality parts.
Because of this, servers are usually very expensive compared to the average computer.
They need this extra power because servers process data “requests” and respond with information.
Servers are attached to a network, and act as the “access point” where users (yourself or your employees) can obtain information from.
A common example of a server is one that hosts your website. When a user types into the web address (e.g. www.resultit.co.nz), the server processes and answers that request by pulling up the site and loading it in your browser.
Similarly, servers can be used on the local level for your business. For example, if you use a username and password to login - your office servers are storing that information. It also allows you to save documents on one computer, yet access them on another because the information is stored on the server.
What does Server Maintenance involve?
Just like how you get your car oil changed, your servers also need maintenance to continue running smoothly.
Preemptively making sure that your servers are maintained and updated means you’re taking care of the important data that is stored on your servers.
The point of difference between maintaining a car and a server, is that a server requires both digital and physical maintenance.
Because it is built out of hardware, chips etc. the physical aspect needs to be maintenanced.
Dust build up and overheat and slow down your server. Because of all the work it does, it often gets quite hot - which is why it’s good practice to keep your servers in rooms with cool temperatures and good air circulation.
Examples of server maintenance can involve:
- Data backup - this gives you a backup copy of your data in case something goes wrong
- Software updates - the software running on your server need to be regularly updated
- Security review - making sure that your server is secure
- Temperature - physical maintenance of the hardware temperature
- Antivirus review - makes sure that server files are not infected
Why Server Maintenance Is A Prudent Business Investment
In your business, if you use a local network or software through a server, there’s a good chance that you use your server to run your business on a daily basis.
Think about some of the more common software or files you share through your network.
Could you operate your business without this software or your network?
For sure, advancements in technology has allowed efficiency and productivity in businesses.
That’s why regular server maintenance is a prudent business investment as it ensures your servers continue to run smoothly.
Going back to the comparison with cars - without maintenance, your car will eventually break down and you’ll have to buy a new one at a hefty cost to you. On the other hand, with regular maintenance, you will be able to drive that car for much longer.
Your servers are the same - if they are maintained and cared for, they will last much longer. This will save time and money, and ensure you can operate your business without any technical hiccups.
This is also why server monitoring (keeping tabs on your server’s health) is also an important part of maintenance.
Server maintenance is all about being proactive.
How A Server Maintenance Plan Can Help You
For the most part, if you set up a server maintenance plan (with the help of IT savvy tech professionals), you can set and forget about the technical aspects of your server.
A server maintenance plan essentially sets out a schedule of what needs to be done, when it will be done and who it will be done by.
Once this schedule is in place, it is up to the tech professionals to keep to this schedule to keep your servers running properly.
If You Need A Server Maintenance Plan And Team To Carry It Out…
We can offer these server maintenance services for you. At Result IT, we’ve been serving thousands of happy customers and we specialise in all things tech-related.
We’re the geeks you can rely on to handle the technological aspects of your business, so you can focus on operating and generating sales in your business.
So if you’d like a “set and forget” server maintenance plan, please get in touch with us for a free consultation.
We’re also offering a special $20 discount to all readers of our blog and newsletter!
You can contact us by clicking here, or call us at (09) 526 1800.
We’re located at:
67 Station Road East,
Penrose, Auckland.
Just mention that you’re a reader of our blog and newsletter, and we’ll slash $20 off the quoted price for the service you need!
