Servers In General

On a PC, the user logs in and runs a bunch of applications to get work done. When they finish and log off, all of their programs shutdown, too. Applications that need to run constantly with no one logged in are called "services". Simply put - servers run services.

When we look at the hardware side of servers, they are much more robust than standard PCs and are built with components that are meant to be run 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. As a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) for Dell®, we configure the specific components that will go into your server based on the role that it will play. Some services require a lot of processing power and memory (RAM), but not much disk space, while others are exactly the opposite. It is also common to run multiple services on the same server as long as the resource requirements are similar for both applications and that there are no conflicts between the installed programs. Our experiences often tell us which roles been matched up well in the past and can be used at your location.

Domain Controller

The very first server brought into a network is the Domain Controller (DC). It is what turns a bunch of PCs with a common Internet connection into a functional network of PCs. The DC is where we establish your business's list of "allowed" users and computers. As you can see, this begins to establish the security for your new network. The DC also contains a list of settings that specify how passwords will be used, how long they will last before they need to be changed, and how complex they must be. This list of settings, called Group Policies, is quite extensive and should be tailored to the business. A good administrator will take the time to explain what has been put into place and why each security safeguard is necessary. Contact us for more information.

File and Print Server

Especially in a small or introductory network, this role will be combined with the Domain Controller. And because of its importance, we'll mention that this role is often the most used aspect of the network and should be fully explained to each and every user on the network or its value will be strongly diminished.

As every employee has...

1. a specific job,
2. a role as a working member within a department, and
3. a contributor to company as a whole;

...it makes good sense that this same employee should have access to a respective area on the network for each aspect of their employment.

For aspect (1), we'll create a personal work area that's linked to their "My Documents". In this area, they can feel safe to some privacy in that others cannot access or tamper with their day-to-day working assignments.

For aspect (2), we'll create an area that the employee shares with other members of their own department, but other departments cannot access.

And finally, there should be an area on the network under aspect (3) where employees can share their work where everyone can see it. As an example, this is where your Human Resources group may share Company Policies. Special provisions can be made so that these documents are Read Only to the general population, but editable by HR. There are very few limitations on how the different tiers can be layered and their access controlled.

On a network, printers are controlled resources and can be shared or restricted as necessary. This server is typically the one responsible for running your data backups. Backups being one of the three most important security aspects of your network, you can be assured that we'll pay particular focus to this process. Contact us for more information.

E-mail Server

While not the only e-mail server on the market, since every version of Microsoft Office comes with Outlook and Exchange is the matched server components, they offer the most when used together. Alternatively, any standards-based e-mail software can be used as long as you have a desktop client and a server to receive and store mail. When it comes to email, there are a lot of options.

The most important goal is to look professional on a reliable, well-managed system. Having your own myName@myBusiness.com e-mail address looks much more trustworthy then having one of the free accounts from Google, Yahoo, EarthLink, etc. We can help you achieve this goal. Regardless of whether email is hosted in-house or on our arzyNet servers, you can have your own dotcom e-mail address in a no time at all. You'll also find that once you've taken control of your own e-mail, you'll have better control over the anti-spam and anti-virus protection that comes with it. Also note that most current day systems come with WebMail capability. Contact us for more information.

Terminal Server (and VPN connectivity)

If you are looking for the ability to allow employees to work from at home, then having a Terminal Server (TS) really enhances the experience and productivity. Using a TS is really step 2 of a two-step process, so let's look at step 1 first.

If we've done your networking, then chances are that your network is protected with either a Cisco® PIX or ASA5505 firewall. Both have secure Virtual Private Networking (VPN) capabilities. If this is the case, then step 1 is to set the user up with VPN credentials that will allow them enter the company network from a remote location. This is our first layer of security − gaining access through the firewall.

In step 2 − connecting to the TS − we will use the Remote Desktop Connection capability that comes standard with any Windows XP or later PC. Here, the user is presented with a second login box. It uses the same login credentials that the employee uses every work day to log into their office PC. This is our second layer of security.

The functionality of the TS at this point is to act as a virtual PC for the user. It contains all the business software that's needed and is in close proximity to the data servers so that the transactions occur quickly, even on the most data-intensive applications. Additional benefits:

• Multiple users can be logged onto the server at the same time; each having their own personalized desktop. Servers are usually sized to handle from 5 to 20 simultaneous users.



• Software updates on the TS are immediately seen by the user and require no updates to the PC from which they are remotely connecting.



• Remote access can be readily turned on and off, as needed.



• Consider snow days, temporary access for auditors, vacationing employees, maternity leave.

Contact us for more information.

Database Servers

Regardless of your business application, the data that you enter, manipulate, and generate reports upon has to reside somewhere. You typically have little choice as to what database provider you can use because your application's programmer has already made that choice for you when they developed the software. They may however offer the use of their native database or the ability to upgrade to a package that allows for the use of a more mainstream database such as Oracle or Microsoft's SQL (pronounced 'se-quel') server to name a few. These products are designed to access larger amounts of data more efficiently and come with their own set of tools for maintenance tasks just as backups and data grooming.

It is well worth noting that these higher end databases are not locked into housing the data for simply one application, but can become the back-end database for dozens of applications. In this case, you will have gained the performance enhancements across all of the business applications that will use your database server.

It is also well worth noting that a company's data soon becomes the most valued IT asset and its mere loss could have a severe, even catastrophic, impact on a business's survival. Proper data management and reliable backups are mandatory. Contact us for more information.

Utility Servers

With an average life span for servers at three to five years, where do old servers go?

With a focus to get the most from your hard-eared IT dollar, we'll present the option to migrate your services to a newer machine and then "re-fresh" your old server with a fresh OS install and a new purpose − let's say one that's less than mission critical. Here we introduce the Utility Server, although don't belittle their purpose. Let's examine a few popular uses:

• Simple Network Monitoring Protocol (SNMP) Server − to collect alarms and alerts from devices throughout the network and automatically notify an administrator based on the settings and thresholds monitored by the server.



• Microsoft's WSUS Server − to monitor and keep current the Microsoft Updates being applied to the computers across the network.



• Centrally-managed anti-X Console − to monitor and update the antivirus definitions and policies for all clients across the network. Several anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-spyware vendors offer this form of support. Our preference is Symantec.



• In-house Web Server − to support an internal Intranet.



• External DNS Server − adds ease of change when updating the location of your Email, VPN, and website connections. arzyNet offers secondary DNS services at no cost to its active customers.

Contact us for more information.