Advantages of a Server over a Desktop Computer – Why is a Server required?
When thinking through the advantages of a server over a desktop computer, and why a server is required, it’s important to weigh up the many advantages of having a dedicated piece of hardware for a work network. In general, a server can provide much faster speeds, better security, and more flexibility for a network, while also creating options for virtualisation, and backup opportunities via cloud servers. In this way, a server is a particularly good idea if you want to upgrade or strengthen a business network.

With a desktop computer, information and an OS is stored via the inbuilt hard drive, and is primarily based around single computers. By contrast, a server is a unit that can be used to connect multiple computers, which run off the same platform and share data, while still being able to run individual operating systems. For a larger business, a network that is anchored by a server is more efficient, due to having more processors, cores, and threads than one desktop, as well as more advanced RAM and memory.

As the server capacity is much larger on a server, it can be used to cover more data and provide a more stable foundation for linking together different networks. Servers are also designed to be more durable, and to run all day, rather than being switched off like desktops. Dedicated server rooms and cabinets also mean that servers can be located away from a main workspace, which conserves energy and reduces noise and heat. Servers tend to be more portable than desktop towers, and can be rack mounted and monitored using environmental sensors.

As a result, servers are more secure in most cases than running your computer through a desktop hard drive and system. Servers do not contain non-essential components, and are designed to process data faster, as well as backing up and adding more encryption levels to protect data within a network. A single server that works with multiple computers means that a system administrator has more flexibility to set different security levels for a network, while also being able to scale the capacity of a server up and down depending on requirements.

Other benefits for using servers over desktops include being able to create multiple virtual desktops. This is a good option if an administrator wants to break down a network into virtual devices and platforms with different security needs. Individual computers can run their own OS while still being linked into the same centralised server. Virtual desktops can be set up to provide private environments, or copies of the same desktop that can be used for guests, and to deal with any viruses and problems with a system.

Switching to a server also means that you can combine an on-site server or servers with options for cloud hosting and servers. This means that data can be backed up, or OS’s like Linux and Windows run from a remote site, without the need for having hardware in the office. Many businesses choose to take on cloud solutions alongside having durable hardware, with a cloud server able to back up important data, while also reducing the amount of resources being taken up with a shared network.

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Rob James loves blogging about which netgear router you should choose, selecting the correct data racks and many other nerdy networking issues.  Rob can often be found tinkering with new equipment and reading up on the latest developments.