When planning your first server room, the hardware that will be housed inside is obviously the largest consideration for you to make. After all, it is why you are planning for the room in the first place! In order to properly plan for the space and power needs of your server room, you will need to know what hardware will be involved.
If you already have a network environment, this part of the process may be fairly straightforward–the main variable is whether or not you will plan for future growth. If your first server room also means your first network environment, then you and your IT team have your work cut out for you since there is so much to consider–things like network configuration, storage needs, server operating systems, applications, telephony needs and virtualization.
Nowadays, gigabit ethernet is the de facto standard for wiring most network environments. However, if you plan on wiring a new office space, it may be worthwhile to step up to category 6a wiring, which supports 10-gigabit ethernet. This will help you avoid costly rewiring down the road should your office choose to upgrade to higher network speeds.
When it comes to figuring what servers you need and how many, you should be spending a lot of time meeting with your IT staff to make sure you plan properly. Every business environment is different, so be wary of any IT company that recommends a one-size-fits-all solution. Also, be sure to consider whether or not any of your servers should be virtualized or not. Often, the cost- and space-savings of virtualizing servers outweighs the performance costs, but that may not be the case with certain services.
Implementing a new server room can certainly be an intimidating task, but it does not need to be. If you take the time to plan properly and work with an experienced IT team that can address your company’s specific needs, it is a lot easier to get a handle on the project.
Minneapolis-based OAC Technology has been helping small- to medium-sized businesses plan and administer their IT environments for 10 years. We can help your technology meet your business needs while maximizing your IT dollars at the same time. Contact us today for a free consultation.
