Which method of sharing is best for your small business?

If you want to share files on your network and, perhaps, host your own web, email and database servers, you’ve a couple of choices.

One is to use general-purpose servers running either Windows or Linux; the other is server appliances designed specifically to handle such tasks.

If you’re a small business there are pros and cons to each that need to be considered before deciding what to go for.

The server pros
The advantages of a conventional, industry-standard server stem from the ready availability of the hardware and application software to run on it.

If you’re a small start-up, for example, you can buy an entry-level server for anything from £200 upwards, plug it into your network and start sharing files almost straight away.

Industry-standard servers are also very flexible, as it’s up to you what processor to get and how much memory and storage to buy (you can always add more should you need it, or upgrade to Raid protection very easily).

Go for Windows Server as the operating system and the interface will be very familiar, making it relatively easy to manage.

File and print sharing also comes as standard with Windows, together with a web server (IIS), plus there’s a huge choice when it comes to optional applications, both from Microsoft and third-party developers.

A popular choice here is Windows Small Business Server 2008 (SBS2008) which, despite being for companies with no more than 75 users, is far from a cut-down solution, delivering full implementations of both Windows Server 2008 and Exchange Server 2007.

Similarly, Sharepoint Services comes as standard with SQL Server 2008 thrown in for good measure if you opt for the Premium Edition.

It sounds an ideal small-business solution, and one that thousands of small businesses choose for their networks.

You don’t even have to worry about installation as it can be bought pre-installed on servers from Dell, Fujitsu, IBM, HP and others.

Plus there’s a custom management console designed to make it easy for non-experts to manage, simplifying day-to-day tasks such as managing network shares, adding new users and taking backups.

As popular as this kind of solution is, however, there are one or two issues to bear in mind.

The server cons
Server hardware may appear relatively cheap but costs can quickly rise if you need faster processors or extra Ram to cope with more users and new applications.

More than that the cost of an entry-level server can easily double by the time you add on the price of the operating system.

Windows Server 2008, for example, costs around £500 ex Vat when factory installed, and that’s for five users.

Above that you need to buy additional Client Access Licences (Cals), costing around £20 ex Vat per user depending on how many you buy.

The Small Business bundle is better value, but still costly at around £640 ex Vat for the Standard edition of Small Business Server 2008 or £1,060 if you want the Premium Edition with SQL Server.

That’s also for five users with additional Cals needed to handle more.

One way around this is to opt for Linux, where no additional client licences are required and the OS is usually supplied free of charge.

However, if you want a supported solution such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Suse Linux Enterprise you’ll have to pay an annual subscription.

On the plus side that subscription will be less than you’d have to pay to get Windows installed, but it’s still an ongoing cost to bear in mind.

Server management is another issue.

Opt for the Windows Small Business Server and the basics are pretty straightforward but it can’t all be made easy.

As well as setting up and monitoring users, it’s important to keep on top of the various updates and patches needed to keep the software secure, plus make sure backups are taken and troubleshoot any conflicts that arise.

Any applications you add will also need to be maintained and may have different interfaces to learn.

Go for Linux, either to save money or because it’s potentially more secure and the same management considerations apply.

You’ll also need Linux technical skills which may not be available in your organisation.