Revision [1489]

This is an old revision of ServerRequirements made by PhilDaintree on 2009-05-14 14:58:37.

 

SME Company IT Infrastructure and Server Requirements


I am interested in feedback on the rationale of the scenario I propose here ... would appreciate any educated/experienced thoughts.

I considered the infrastructure required by a typical SME business:

# |#
|Requirements|Considerations
* Email - with spam/virus protection
* File Sharing
* File Backup
* Internet Access
* ERP System
* Minimal cost
* Staff cost to administer
* Reliability of the above|An on-site server has a number of issues


I wonder with the rental of a dedicated server maintained with generator backup in a purpose built data centre why a business need's their own server on site at all? A solid state router/cable modem putting out DHCP leases and managing the internet connection with a firewall could handle up to 100 machines on a LAN - that is a reasonable size business covering most SMEs.

The reasons why a local server might be required on the LAN are:
* Large files - CAD/Spreadsheets etc that need to be manipulated locally.
* Poor connectivity unreliable and/or slow from businesses main sites to the data centre
* The business uses a client server ERP system that has heavy data requirements of LAN

Using web-based ERP software and assuming reasonable - reliable 2Meg data connection to the internet the major obsticle then is the requirement for large files to be manipulated over the LAN - I think dedicated NAS storage devices cover this requirement quite nicely - even when a local server is required for email, virus/spam protection and web-application hosting.

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