A hard disk is one of the most critical parts of the server. The operation and data security stability depend on how well the hard drive has been chosen. In this article, we speak about the basic nuances of the right choice.
Hard Drive
It’s almost impossible to imagine the work of a more or less crowded office, even if it can be a corporation, without a server or a few of them. Many vital tasks are assigned to such equipment, on which the stability of the company’s work (and sometimes its income/profit) directly depends. Probably, it would be superfluous to say that the choice of server equipment should be approached more than responsibly. It’s necessary to pay attention not only to the processor parameters, as many do but also to the characteristics of the hard drive.
A hard disk in an ordinary home computer and a hard drive in a server is like two distant relatives – it seems that there is something in common, but they have different functions and tasks. Much more serious and heavy loads are placed on the server hard drive. It constantly operates with a large amount of data, must simultaneously perform many tasks – and do it very quickly. As a rule, several hard disks are installed into the server at once and combined into a RAID array.
A hard disk in the server should provide:
- High performance. Many computers use a server at the same time, and each user must quickly and correctly solve the task.
- High response speed. Users’ requests are processed instantly, without forcing them to click the mouse and stare at the monitor nervously.
- Reliability. A company stores a lot of essential data on the server, the loss of which can turn into a disaster. A good hard drive should ensure not only their careful preservation but also the possibility of easy recovery.
There is no single best hard drive that would suit absolutely any company. It all depends on how much information it will store, what apps to install and what requirements are generally applied for server equipment.
HDD vs. SSD
Like home PCs and laptops, servers can also use two types of hard drives: HDD and SSD. The debate over what is better and more reliable has not subsided to this day.
HDD drives are classics of the genre – they have been used for a long time and managed to prove themselves ideally. Such disks consist of movable elements and magnetic layers. A special mechanism is used to read information. This type of disk allows you to securely store information in significant volumes. Performance depends on many factors, including the number of revolutions, the type of interface, etc. HDD drives make more noise and vibration and have a lower response rate than SSD, but they are not so expensive. In general, if there are no high-speed requirements, you can use a cheap storage server like HDD.
In SSD drives, magnetic plates are replaced by microchips. Due to the fact that there are no disks, which means there is nothing to rotate, everything works faster. As a result, the speed of applications and the response speed increase, while the disk consumes less energy and works much more quieter. So, if you want fast operation, an SSD storage server is obviously your choice. Moreover, such disks are mechanically stronger than HDDs. If you suddenly drop the hard drive, then it will be almost impossible to recover data from the HDD with a higher probability, and the SSD disk will remain intact. Some of their shortcomings hinder the growing popularity of SSD drives:
- It’s a higher price.
- Such disks have less memory.
- They have a limited number of rewrite cycles, after which you will have to change the disk.
If it’s necessary to equip a company that constantly operates with a large number of resource-intensive operations, then a fast SSD storage server will cope better. However, in many cases, a good HDD will be enough. While choosing the best option, pay attention that you need to rent server space suitable for your organization only. We would underline that small companies often had chosen HDD storage server hosting before, but this tendency significantly changed – now, there is a trend for SSD.
There are dedicated storage servers that are separate physical machines, and they’re fully at the order of the user. You don’t have to spend money on replacing or updating your equipment; the company takes care of RAID arrays, RAM, security systems, etc. With the help of a dedicated server, you can host a project with maximum attendance. It guarantees disaster tolerance and uninterrupted operation under any load. You get the machines with a high-speed Internet connection. They’re connected to uninterruptible power supplies around the clock. Technical support will be able to resolve software or hardware errors immediately
Concluding note
Perhaps there is no right or wrong decision here but rather a matter of personal choice, suitable to particular company needs, potential workload, and available budget.
