How to Make Smarter Decisions About Your Servers

December 8, 2023

Servers contribute a significant effort toward your computing infrastructure, so it makes sense that you want devices that can fulfill your needs with performance, reliability, and security. To get the most out of your server units, we like to recommend you consider the following six tips when choosing new server hardware.

What Does Your Business Need?

To start off, you’ll have to consider your organization’s specific requirements and needs based on the number of users, the applications you’re running, and your data storage. Through assessing these details, you’ll be able to increase the odds of purchasing the right hardware for the right tasks.

Are You Prepared for Scalability?

Ideally, your business will grow, and your infrastructure should be able to support that growth. You’ll want to have scalable options that can add more CPUs, memory, or storage capacity as your organization thrives. Using cloud-based servers can make this process even easier and more cost-effective.

Have You Considered Virtualization?

Virtual technology provides your organization with opportunities to replace physical server infrastructures with digital ones in the cloud. It’s a great way to make better use of the resources at your disposal and reduce hardware costs. While it might cost more up-front, new server unit costs are actually larger, making virtualization a valid alternative for small businesses.

Are You Prioritizing Security?

You need to protect your servers, too, with features like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption. Furthermore, you need to update your server software and firmware with patches and security updates to ensure you’re addressing potential threats or vulnerabilities. You should also implement strong password practices and access control measures, including password management.

Have You Asked for Professional Help?

Server technology can be complicated, and if you’re not an IT professional in your own right, chances are that you’ll be better served by working with one to manage, maintain, and acquire your server units. We can offer consultations that help you make the best decisions possible for your organization's needs.

Your business can overcome the challenges of server unit complexity by working with First Column IT. To learn more, call us today at (571) 470-5594.

The Ultimate User Guide for Managing Your Passwords [Part 4 of 5]

Our last three posts have covered how to create strong passwords, how to secure a primary email account for all of your online accounts, and how to set up multi-factor authentication. In this part, we’re going to discuss setting up a password manager and going through the process of documenting all of your accounts into that password manager with all new, extremely secure passwords.

January 22, 2025

The Ultimate User Guide for Managing Your Passwords [Part 3 of 5]

This is part three of a five-part series on managing your passwords. You can view the other published posts by scrolling down and clicking #Password Guide at the bottom of this page.

January 20, 2025

The Ultimate User Guide for Managing Your Passwords [Part 2 of 5]

In our last blog post, we covered the importance of having good security hygiene and why passwords need to be strong and unique. We also provided some tips for creating unique, strong passwords that are easier to remember. You’ll be using that method to create a couple of strong passwords, but ultimately, you’ll be using a password manager by the time you finish this 5-part guide.

Welcome to the First Column IT Tech Blog