New remote server technology is the answer for small businesses, remote sales staff and offices with multiple locations.

Server technology has made leaps and bounds recently. We want to fill you in on the buzz and how you can benefit, but first, some background…

What do companies use servers for?

Servers are a vital tool for many companies. For starters,

• Servers provide centralized file sharing, which allows multiple people to access and collaborate on documents and files.  
• They include security features, so an administrator can grant or deny file and folder access to individuals and/or groups. 
• Centralized account management means user accounts, password changes, etc., only need to be done from one location. 
  
• Servers provide a central location for backups of everyone’s documents, e-mail, and all the important files.  
• Servers deliver software and program updating (patching) services.
• They also make it possible for everyone in the office to access important programs such as accounting and customer management programs. 

What does a typical server cost and does it make sense for my business?

For most companies that have at least 10 computers in use, the ROI for a server environment is realized within a few months of the purchase due to the considerable increases in efficiency. However, having a server in your office is not always cost-effective.

For a small office of two to four computers, the cost to buy, install, configure and connect a server is at least $5,000. While this cost makes sense for a company that has to connect 10 computers, it is a pretty big expense for smaller companies. Servers add complexity to a network so having expert IT maintenance becomes a requirement, and this increases ongoing support costs. Also, if your company has multiple offices, slower internet connections may not allow all of the offices to benefit equally from a new server. 

So what’s changed?

Recently, there have been major advances in technologies that allow companies to have a server without having to physically purchase or set it up. Faster and more reliable internet connections now make it possible to have a server that is not in your office, but rather hosted off-site at a secure location remotely accessed. These servers are managed and provided for a fixed monthly fee instead of big up front costs.

The result has been the development of server solutions that 

• cost very little to set up
• have low monthly service charges for maintenance and support 
• have most of the same benefits as a server in your office 
• can be accessed from anywhere an internet connection is available.

One example of this service is TekTegrity’s TSM WorkSpace. WorkSpace essentially allows employees in a company to login to a server in a separate, secure environment from their current desktop or laptop computer. In this environment, each user operates as if they are connected to a server, able to access applications, files and programs. All files are also backed up and the environment remains physically separated from the local computer, which means if a computer’s hard drive crashes, no data is lost.

If a laptop is stolen, the files on the server still cannot be accessed. Services such as WorkSpace are also scalable, allowing you to add or scale down the number of users.  This provides flexibility for a rapidly growing small business, or one that expects to do major restructuring and wants to pay proportionally less for their IT when staffing numbers are reduced.

How has the cost structure changed?

Companies typically pay per-user, per-month for all of these benefits, which reduces up front capital costs, makes it easier to budget and keeps the costs directly proportional to the number of staff who actually use the system.

If you have been holding out on buying a server, or upgrading an older server environment, now may be the time to act. Remote server solutions can give you an exceptional return on your investment, not to mention enhancing your company’s security, accessibility and scalability.

Russ Levanway is the CEO of TekTegrity, Inc. TekTegrity is an IT Strategies and Management firm that provides premium IT services to businesses, government, education and non-profit organization in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Monterey and Kern counties. TekTegrity’s goal is to become your organizations long-term strategic partner by supporting your IT infrastructure with your bottom line in mind. Some of TekTegrity’s services include System and Workstation Installation, Virtual Hosted Servers, Priority Backup, Off-Site Data Replication,, and Total Systems Management™ (TSM). TSM is an industry-leading managed services model that emphasizes proactive and preventative IT support at a predictable fixed monthly fee. For more information about TekTegrity, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , visit www.tektegrity.com, or call 805-596-0135.