Your server takes care of running so many different aspects of your day to day operations, so it is super important to have a server upgrade plan. If you are having server problems, it can derail your business and the way it functions. Because servers run constantly, their wear and tear is pretty high and the older it becomes, the more at-risk it is at failing.
Why Upgrade Your Server
You should upgrade your server so that you can avoid any downtime or tech issues. Here’s how an old server can affect your business:
- Speed: High speed makes working a lot easier, and speed affects the way your employees can do their jobs.
- Reliability: Your customers expect reliability, so you need to keep your business going.
Warranty
An upgrade will also come with a warranty, so your server can be protected
With a server, upgrade comes a warranty, meaning your investment will be protected and you won’t have to invest more money on your server once it is purchased and installed correctly while under warranty.
Server Upgrade Plan
Here is a basic roadmap for a server upgrade project.
Map out short- and long-term goals and requirements:
Determine business requirements
- Identify utilization and growth in servers, network and storage
- Identify software (custom or commercial off-the-shelf)
- Group infrastructure by key attributes (age, function, etc.)
Determine the technology you need:
- Fully understand your organization’s hardware and networking platform and how the server upgrade fits into the overall IT infrastructure.
- Determine site requirements for hosting hardware
- Assign applications and development environments to hardware
- Define network architecture requirements
- Calculate storage requirements
- Evaluate which applications should be upgraded
- Define hardware components to retain, upgrade and acquire
- Assess staff training requirements
- Find solutions to meet your needs:
- Compare business requirements to vendor offerings
- Identify application interoperability issues across the solution stack
- Determine where applications will be hosted (virtual, physical or cloud)
- Diagram infrastructure architecture
- Determine costs and cost trends
- As you narrow down options for your upgrade, check the server’s warranty status (can it be extended?)
- Ensure that vendor support available during the upgrade should you need it
- Upon completing the above, determine if an upgrade is even the best option.
- It may be more cost-effective to purchase a new server
Implement Your Server Upgrade
- For most upgrades, you will need 24 to 72 hours of scheduled downtime
- Configure new hardware
- Install the new operating system and applications
- Test functionality with a test group of users
- Establish backup and disaster recovery functionality
- Conduct user acceptance testing
- Train staff
- Release to users
- Plan for a new upgrade cycle
Is a Physical Server the Best Option for Your Business?
Depending on a business’ needs, maintaining an internal physical server may be necessary. However, almost always, this option is more costly from a hardware and maintenance standpoint. Most small- to mid-sized businesses now opt for the cloud for hosting, securing and maintaining their business applications and data. Also, as more businesses downsize office space, foregoing a physical server can save on space and help reduce operational costs.
To learn more about how MyTek, an Arizona-managed IT services company, can provide a FREE review of your IT environment and help you to determine if a server of cloud solution best meets your needs, please contact us. If you are in need of a server upgrade, we can work with you on an IT project basis to complete your server upgrade effectively and efficiently.