What is a Tower Server?
Tower servers stand out amongst all other types of servers with their unique features. Their standout advantage lies in their sleek form factor, resembling a regular computer unit. As a powerful computing platform, a tower server efficiently carries out critical tasks within the network and enterprise.
What is a Tower Server?
Tower servers are a type of server form factor that comes as a standalone, upright cabinet, also known as a chassis configuration. By appearance, tower servers resemble traditional desktop tower computers and are considered the most affordable server option. Tower servers are best deployed by smaller organizations that don’t need a full data center.
Tower servers use minimal components and software, making it easier for organizations to customize specific tasks, keep overhead low, and maintain an upgrade strategy. Rack servers and blade servers‘ ability to be mounted make them a more convenient option when it comes to space and scalability. However, most organizations don’t need an entire metal frame’s worth of servers.
Small and midsize organizations can use tower servers to meet their specific needs when a lack of resources – be it space, IT skills, time, or money – prevents the organization from adopting a more scalable data center solution.
How do tower servers work?
Tower servers function as computers that run 24/7 to provide dedicated support for your business’s workloads. Acting as a secure hub for all communication to pass through, a tower server is run collaboratively with your network of devices, supporting your apps and providing storage for all data and analytics.
Because of the independent design that keeps data stored in a singular tower, tower servers can easily be added to existing networks. When tower servers are run together over an existing network, they can work together to perform compound tasks.
Tower servers work well for small and midsize businesses because of their efficiency, flexibility, and lower price point, and are often set up inside a locked cabinet or “tower” on-premises. Authorized users can remotely access files on the tower server via the Internet, providing a secure pathway to access and utilize data that lives on your network.
The only potential setbacks are the various cabling that is required for tower servers and their bulky size, which means more space for accommodation and setup.
What are the components of a Tower Server?
Any component in a standard desktop computer is used in a tower server. The main difference is that the computing resources are much more advanced. Usually, a tower server has the latest generation of most components, especially the CPU, memory, and video card. The network card must also be able to handle high-volume traffic. Some tower servers have two network cards to perform routing and other network services.
Other components in a tower server include a motherboard, a video card, a power supply that provides enough power to the machine, and other miscellaneous parts, such as fans, the case, and peripherals. If you have multiple tower servers, you can use a switch box to connect a mouse, keyboard, and monitor to multiple towers. The switch connects to all towers and you can switch peripherals to the active tower using the switch box.
The benefits of tower servers
IT teams can choose from a range of tower servers designed to handle a wide variety of tasks and applications. Some businesses may be interested in a reliable server that can allow for increased collaboration in a remote team. At the same time, other organizations may be more focused on secure data storage for sensitive intellectual property. For small-to-medium-sized IT environments, tower servers offer several advantages over rack or blade servers.
Affordable deployment
Tower servers are among the most affordable servers because they are comprised of fewer components. This allows businesses to invest in server technology more efficiently. A tower server is a logical choice for small businesses hoping to keep costs down while still getting the server technology they require.
Easy customization
With a hardware configuration that resembles a PC, tower servers can be customized and upgraded as computing and storage needs evolve. Whether you set up in a small office or a mid-sized facility, this kind of capability helps businesses remain flexible and adaptable.
Optimum cooling
The low overall component density of tower servers enables the hardware to be cooled more easily. This is important because servers work better when cooled, and overheating can affect the lifespan of both network and tower servers.
Simple scalability
Small business IT teams can scale IT capability by adding a tower server or two without affecting existing servers. For a growing small or medium-sized business, this ease of scalability is crucial as projects grow in both size and scope.
Tower Servers vs. Blade and Rack Servers
The biggest difference between a tower server and its peers is the functionality and purpose for small businesses. Whereas data centers might have a ballroom of servers fitted snugly (by U count) into their slots, a tower server isn’t so different from having another computer in the office. Rack and blade servers have the edge of serving specialized network segments and modern workloads, but not every organization is there yet.
Conclusion
If you own a small business, a tower server might be a more convenient way to start building your network environment. As your environment grows, you might find that tower servers take up too much space and aren’t as scalable as rack servers. Keep this in mind if you buy several tower servers to support your network environment and employee productivity. Eventually, you may prefer to build rack servers into your network infrastructure, or you might find that using cloud servers is more convenient and beneficial for your business.