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Server Hardware

Rack and tower servers, redundancy, ECC memory, RAID, UPS, cooling and security — what makes a server different.

What Makes a Server Different?

A server provides a service — files, email, a database, a website — to other computers, often 24 hours a day . If it stops, everyone stops. So server hardware is built for reliability and availability, not looks.

Rack vs tower servers

$Rack server$	$Tower server$
$Flat box that slides into a standard 19-inch rack$	$Looks like a large desktop PC$
$Height measured in rack units — 1U = 44.45 mm$	$Stands on the floor or under a desk$
$Many servers fit in a small space; needs a rack and a cool, secured room$	$No rack needed; quieter; easy to set up$
$Data centres and larger organisations$	$Small offices and shops with one or two servers$

Server features that improve reliability
Server features that improve reliability

A UPS gives time : to keep working through a short cut, to switch to a generator, or to shut the server down safely so no data is corrupted. Many UPS units connect by USB so the server shuts itself down automatically when the battery is low. A UPS also protects against surges and voltage dips .

Cooling: servers run all day and produce heat. Keep them in a cool, air-conditioned, dust-free space. Physical security: lock the room or rack. Anyone who can touch the server can steal the disks. Monitoring: alerts by email or SMS when a disk fails or the temperature rises.

Practice

Select the features that provide redundancy.

Choose all that apply.

Rack or Tower?

Rack vs tower servers

$Rack server$	$Tower server$
$Flat box that slides into a standard 19-inch rack$	$Looks like a large desktop PC$
$Height measured in rack units — 1U = 44.45 mm$	$Stands on the floor or under a desk$
$Many servers fit in a small space; needs a rack and a cool, secured room$	$No rack needed; quieter; easy to set up$
$Data centres and larger organisations$	$Small offices and shops with one or two servers$

Redundancy: No Single Point of Failure

Server features that improve reliability
Server features that improve reliability

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

A UPS gives time : to keep working through a short cut, to switch to a generator, or to shut the server down safely so no data is corrupted. Many UPS units connect by USB so the server shuts itself down automatically when the battery is low. A UPS also protects against surges and voltage dips .

Environment and Security

Cooling: servers run all day and produce heat. Keep them in a cool, air-conditioned, dust-free space. Physical security: lock the room or rack. Anyone who can touch the server can steal the disks. Monitoring: alerts by email or SMS when a disk fails or the temperature rises.

Practice

Select the features that provide redundancy.

Choose all that apply.