Choosing the right server

How many employees do you have?

What problem are you trying to solve?

What kind of software do you need for the number of people you have?

How fast does the server need to process data (i.e., processor speed)?

How many processors do you need? Some solutions require two or more.

How much memory (RAM) do you need?

How much hard disk space does data require, now and in the future?

What kind of hard disk controller (SATA, SCSI, or SAS) do you need?

Do you want a rack mount server or a tower?

How many network interface cards do you need?

Do you plan to attach additional backup and storage drives (tape or optical, for example) to your system?

What level of RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) do you want to support?

What kind of server management tools do you need?

Do you want help getting your server set up?

What level of maintenance and support do you need?

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