A modern server is not just a powerful computer that can process a large amount of data, but also a whole range of technologies that ensures security, reliability and speed. In this article, we will look at the main features and capabilities that a modern server should have.

We will tell you what you should pay attention to when choosing a server. What points should be foreseen in order not to suffer from the wrong choice in the future. 

So a modern server should be:

• productive
• reliable
• safe
• scalable
• manageable

We will consider this and other properties of the server point by point.

Performance

One of the main functions of a modern server is high performance. A dedicated server must process a large amount of information in a short time. To do this, he needs powerful processors, a large amount of RAM and fast hard drives. It is also important that the server be optimized for specific tasks and run on a specially configured operating system.

Server performance is the main and defining parameter. In turn, it depends on the following factors:

• Processor type and power. These two server processor values depend on the requirements of the operating system and the installed software. You can view them on the developers’ website and choose the appropriate equipment to solve the necessary tasks (taking into account their subsequent growth).
• The amount and type of RAM. The type of memory is the processor and motherboard, and the volume is the amount of workload on the hardware.
• The performance of the disk subsystem. In this case, there is an option: SSD and HDD drives. They differ from each other and it is advisable to make their choice in relation to the recommendations of manufacturers.

Reliability

A modern server must be reliable and provide uninterrupted operation. To do this, he needs to have redundant power supplies, RAID arrays to protect against data loss, as well as a backup system. In addition, the server must be able to recover quickly in the event of a failure.

Safety

The server must ensure the security of the information stored on it. To do this, he needs to have authentication and authorization mechanisms for users, an access control system and protection against external attacks. It is also important that the server has a system for monitoring and analyzing logs to quickly detect and prevent possible threats.

Scalability

A modern server needs to be scalable and ready for growing data volumes. To do this, he needs to be able to add new processors, RAM and hard drives. It is also important that the server is ready to work in a cluster and can be expanded if necessary.

Control

A modern server should be easy to manage and have an intuitive interface for administrators. To do this, he needs to have a management system that allows you to control the operation of the server, configure its parameters and monitor the state of the system.

Note that together, performance and manageability characterize the level of reliability of the server. They directly affect this indicator and imply not only the physical reliability and quality of the assembly itself, but also the optimality of the installed software. Software reliability ensures stable operation of all applications.

Virtualization

A modern server must be able to virtualize to increase resource efficiency and reduce hardware costs. To do this, he needs to have a hypervisor that allows you to create and manage virtual machines.

Cloud Opportunities

A modern server must be able to work in the cloud to ensure data mobility and availability. To do this, he needs to have support for cloud technologies such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.

Common mistakes that reduce site performance

Images are not optimized. Image optimization is the software processing of graphic files to reduce their size without losing quality. Agree, images are an integral part of each site, since the visitor, having entered the site, first of all pays attention to its graphic elements.

Large images, alas, reduce the speed of the site, which can negatively affect the number of visitors. Therefore, images should be compressed, but without sacrificing quality – be sure to check the original image and the compressed one. By optimizing the image, we can significantly reduce the number of downloads and improve the performance of the site. The more compressed the image, the faster the browser will be able to show the page to the user.

The site is not optimized for mobile devices. We live in the digital age, people are completely dependent on smartphones, their expectations are high. If you’re searching for an answer to a question on a mobile device and encounter inconveniences, such as an unresponsive site, you’ll likely close the page and continue your search. So optimizing your site for mobile devices is a must.

Nobody likes to spend a lot of time zooming in on small text and images. According to users, the site should be simple and easy to navigate. If the site is not suitable for mobile devices, this may be the end of the project’s story.

Here are some facts showing that mobile accessibility of a website is essential for business:

• Mobile-optimized sites rank higher in search results
• More than half of the searches on Google are made from mobile devices
• The traffic of many advertisers consists mainly of visits from mobile devices
• Users are 5x more likely to leave unoptimized properties

Lack of meta tags for social networks. Today, most people cannot imagine life without social media. On almost every website, we are encouraged to share materials on social networks. And this is not surprising, since exchanging links on social networks is an effective way to promote business and services. For this, meta tags for the site are used.

If you have social media pages, promote them on your site. This will help visitors realize that you are interacting with real people, as well as make it easier to decide on further interaction with you.

Forwarding (redirect). For the correct operation of the site, it is important to monitor the use of redirects. Setting up a site redirect is not recommended, but if it is necessary, I advise you to set up a 301 redirect. This is the only way to safely transfer a site from one address to another.

Redirects can be written in the .htaccess file, as well as adding a JS, HTML or PHP redirect to the page code. If the redirect is configured incorrectly, it can lead to a chained redirect. Such chain redirects lead to redirect delays, which means they slow down the performance of the resource and harm SEO, as well as site ranking.

A properly configured 301 redirect will help you avoid common problems:

• Loss of link weight, “puzomerok”, traffic when moving to a new site address
• Duplicate pages.
• Lost positions in search results.
• Broken links, etc.

Therefore, if you need to set up a redirect, pay special attention to this.

Bad design. To keep users on the site, you need to take care of an attractive design, easy navigation, usability, etc. in advance. The first impression plays a key role in increasing the flow of visitors. If you want the user to be able to achieve their goals, a clear connection must be established between the user and the site. For example, text is one of the tools of this connection. Along with the content of your site, additionally update the outdated template and its design. Always stick to new and modern technologies to develop your project, because this is the basis of the foundations for its strengthening and successful promotion.

Conclusion

In conclusion of the article, we note that the server is a rather complex system. In perfect condition, it has the following characteristics:

• stability of work and absence of failures
• secure data storage
• simple authentication of users in the network
• the possibility of archiving information
• optimal frequency of updates and upgrades
• availability of redundant network and power connections, etc.
• remote administration and status monitoring

A modern server must have high performance, reliability, security, scalability, ease of management, virtualization and cloud technologies. Only such a server will be able to ensure efficient operation and ensure the security and availability of data.