How Many Servers for Small Businesses Do You Really Need?
As your company grows, so do your tech and internet needs. One of the biggest questions owners face is, “How many servers for small businesses are enough?” The answer depends on how your business runs and what kind of tools and data you use. Whether you’re sharing files, managing emails, or hosting apps, choosing the right server setup is key. In this guide, Lightwave Networks walks you through how to pick the best servers for a small business and why it matters for your specific business.
When One Server Is Enough for Your Business
Many small businesses can start with one physical server. A single small business server can support file sharing, email, and storing business data. For example, a tower server with a quad-core Intel Xeon processor and 16GB of RAM can be more than enough for an entry-level setup. These servers are built for reliability and simplicity, ideal for teams of under 10. With a basic setup, you can run key software like customer relationship management tools and avoid needing an expensive server upfront.
When to Add More Servers for Your Growing Business
As your business grows, one server for your small business may no longer be enough. If your team notices delays, lost files, or downtime, it’s time to scale. Adding a second server for small teams can help spread the workload, boost speed, and add redundancy. Some small to medium-sized companies choose a rack server setup to centralize their operations in a data center or server housing. Lightwave Networks offers business solutions to help you scale your system as needed.
Virtual Servers: Do More with Less
Virtualization lets a single powerful server act like many. For example, you could run your web server, NAS (Network Attached Storage), and app server all from one device. Using cloud servers or on-premises servers, you can easily manage different types of servers in one place. Virtual setups are cost-friendly and scalable, and they support online backup options and better storage capacity. This approach is one of the best small business server options when budget and flexibility matter.
Planning Ahead with Scalability in Mind
As your team grows or your software needs expand, you’ll need more server components. Multiple servers increase reliability and allow for redundant systems to protect your data. That might mean adding RAID storage, more hard drives, or dual Intel Xeon Silver processors to meet your business needs. With Lightwave Networks, you can get a barebones server or a fully loaded setup, depending on your goals. We even help with selecting the best budget small business server based on your current and future plans.
Should You Choose On-Prem, Cloud, or Colocation?
There are many small business server options out there. On-premises servers give you total control but require strong IT skills and space. Cloud servers are great for flexibility, while colocation facilities offer a balance. Your team manages the server, while we manage the space, power, and gigabit Ethernet ports. Brands like Dell PowerEdge, Lenovo, and HPE ProLiant ML350 are all popular among SMBs for their durability and ease of management. Whether you’re using Windows Server or Linux, we help you find the best server for small business success.
Quick Server Guide for Small Businesses
Here’s a basic guide to help you decide:
- 1 to 15 employees: One best server for a small office or cloud setup
- 15 to 50 employees: Two or more servers for small businesses or virtual server configurations
- 50+ employees: Multiple servers with backups, redundancy, and next business day support options
Each small and medium business has different needs, so it’s smart to consider when choosing a small server setup what kind of apps you use, your CPU and spec needs, and how much RAM and storage your team needs, which can be up to 64GB of RAM or 128GB for some use cases.
Get Reliable Internet Servers for Businesses with Lightwave Networks
Choosing the right server for a small business is about more than storage. It’s about speed, reliability, and room to grow. At Lightwave Networks, we offer colocation services, cloud hosting, and expert advice, without pushing the cheapest server, just the best server for your needs. With access to secure data centers, reliable power supplies, and high-performance gigabit Ethernet, our servers provide the tools to grow with confidence.
Get a server that matches your goals today by reaching out to our team. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to read some of our other articles today for a further breakdown of the services we offer.
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