In order to adequately determine whether or not managed servers are the best solution for a business, it is essential for that business to approach the issue first from a cost-benefit analysis perspective. This allows businesses to identify any opportunity costs it gains or losses, as well as considering the financial side as well. Only by taking a holistic perspective of how managed server services can be utilized by a company can the driving forces behind it be identified.
Security
Security is an overriding issue for every business looking into IT related solutions. When it comes to servers, both physical and digital security must be considered. By taking advantage of managed servers, businesses gain the ability to leverage state-of-the-art data centers to provide the physical security for the server. This is a notable benefit because a league data centers are purpose built which allows for an integrated, layered approach to preventing physical threats. The same approach is nearly impossible to duplicate when a room or building is retrofitted to accomplish this goal.
When discussing digital security, managed server providers take a multitude of steps to ensure the businesses data is secure. Not only is data proactively secured from potential threats, but it is also backed up so if data is lost it can be recovered quickly. For a business to replicate this in house, it would require significant resources to train and maintain the necessary IT staff.
Closely tied to security is support. Managed server providers go to great lengths to provide businesses with expert support. Support can include everything from strategic planning and expansion to fixing any hardware or software related issues which arise. Not only do managed server providers offer support around the clock, but the staff is expertly trained to remedy the situation as quickly as possible. For a business to create this same opportunity in house, it would not only require an expertly trained IT staff but the staff must be available 24x7. Overall, this is an extremely resource intensive challenge many businesses cannot overcome without taking away from office efficiency and profitability.
Infrastructure Reliability
The infrastructure related benefits stem from the same premise as the physical security benefits. By housing the managed servers in a purpose built data center, businesses gain access to unparalleled infrastructure. This includes a fully redundant system, multiple connectivity options, and an up-time guarantee. Creating the same benefits in house is extremely cost prohibitive which is why more businesses turn to third-party data center facilities rather than trying to create their own.
Scalability
The final benefit of using managed servers is scalability. Managed server providers give businesses the opportunity to quickly expand the number of servers they utilize on an as needed basis. This makes manage servers and infinitely scalable option. On the other hand, it in-house scalability requires businesses to invest significant capital in additional hardware, software, and personnel. Additionally, setting everything up takes time which means while scalability does exist, it takes time to implement.
When identifying the benefits driving the use of managed servers among businesses of all sizes, the benefits far outweigh the costs in four distinct areas. They are security (physical and digital), support availability, infrastructure reliability, and scalability.
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License: Image author owned
License: Image author owned
Ron Brown discusses colocation opportunities in the Houston Area. He believes that co-location services should be considered by any company that wants to keep data safe. Ron helps educate readers about the benefits of co-location and data centers for companies of all sizes.
