Using Decent Hardware
February 2010
Modern business software needs a stable hardware environment in which to run reliably. Fast networks and high spec servers and workstations are an essential investment to ensure the smooth running of your business software processes. Network cards and switches also need to be high spec and ideally capable of supporting 1Gbit. Servers should be specified with mirrored RAID, fast access disk drives and dual processors (not just dual core!). Workstations need as much memory as you can fit in the machine, and a fast processor. Low specification networks and equipment can, and often do, lead to business-damaging data corruption.
Low spec PCs, when running Vista plus an Internet Security suite (as opposed to basic anti-virus), will run slowly. Windows 7 performs slightly better. Some low specification PCs are almost impossible to upgrade to anything usable. Pay a little extra for a good spec workstation and you will see a big difference in network performance.
It is, of course, far better to prevent data corruption from causing business disruption. Daily backups are essential, as are regular data integrity checks. If any problems do occur, either go back to a backup copy of the data or pay for a data fix. Don’t carry on processing and hope that the problem will go away; it won't!
Please contact us for more information about the required and recommended hardware specifications for business software.
Return to category: Newsletter: Brilliant News - February 2010