These days the way most businesses function is primarily data-driven. Organizations rely on their server infrastructure for most IT functions, such as data storage and hosting websites, applications etc. Servers can be of various types, such as application servers, database servers, virtual servers, proxy servers, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) servers, web servers etc. These servers need to be managed efficiently to get the most out of these. There are plenty of server management and monitoring tools that have been developed for this purpose.
With regard to servers, let us touch upon briefly the topic of web servers. A web server is used to store, process and deliver web contents over the Internet. Files of websites are stored on web servers. These web servers are provided by various web hosting companies, which make available all the necessary services along with server space for websites to be accessible over the Internet. The most reliable web hosting companies are often referred to as the “Best Windows Hosting Company”, the “Best Website Hosting Company” and as the “Top Cloud Hosting Company”.
Web Server Management
Server management is all about having access and control over servers for carrying out efficiently various types of administrative and maintenance operations to ensure that servers deliver the best performance. Server monitoring along with the most effective management of the relevant hardware, software, backups and security are also a part of server management and help in improving and optimizing performance.
Proper management of servers, serves the goal of minimizing along with aiming to totally eliminate server downtime and slowdowns. It ensures that the environment where the servers exist is totally secure and that the servers are always ready to meet the evolving requirements of the organization.
Server Management Functions
The most basic functions that aid in maintaining an efficient server environment involve tasks that have to do with setting up, accessing, updating, monitoring, optimizing, alerting and ensuring capacity planning with regard to servers. The first and foremost of these tasks entails having access to the server that has to be managed. A key feature when it comes to managing a server has to do with setting up new software, functionality as well as add-ons.
Installing software and carrying out firmware updates is another important server management function. Different types of servers need to be monitored in order to gain insight into the status of their performance as well as for detecting problems. Moreover, capabilities that have to do with optimization are delivered by certain server management services for enhancing server efficiency. Another essential server management function involves alerting an administrator through some messaging service, in the event that an error occurs. An advanced server management function carries out the task of capacity planning, wherein a forecast with regard to server utilization is provided. This guides the administrators by making them aware of requirements for additional resources and enabling them to plan accordingly.
Server Management Tools’ Key Features
Server management tools are designed to aid in server management. Based on usage and the type of server that an enterprise wants to manage, certain key features become crucial with regard to the server management tool that will best serve the need. These key features have to do with coverage, user interface, support and the feature of alerting. It needs to be ensured that the server management tool that will be used can work for all types of servers that an organization makes use of. For this purpose, it is important to identify beforehand the servers that the organization uses. This helps to do away with infrastructure incompatibility issues.
The next key feature that needs to be present in a server management tool, for it to be efficient, is an intuitive user interface that provides visualization capabilities in order to render advanced tasks more feasible. Moreover, there has to be provision in the tool for setting and receiving performance related as well as other important criteria related alerts to ensure the most effective utilization of the server management tool. Last but not the least, it is crucial for the proper utilization of any server management tool to have the feature that enables direct access to professional support at all times from the vendor that is providing the tool.
Conclusion
Carrying out server management efficiently is extremely helpful for businesses as it helps to reduce downtime, aids in preventing security breaches and cuts down inefficiencies with regard to server performance. A server management tool that is equipped with all the key features is able to carry out server management in the most efficient manner and plays an important part in contributing to the overall productivity of an enterprise.
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