Choosing the right Server to meet a business or research need is the first and perhaps most important step in Server Management Best Practices. Today’s technology offers a variety of choices in hardware and software. TOSM has collected some of the most up to date information available to enable the Department to make the most informed and best choice possible. The following guidelines and considerations should be used when determining the right server for a particular Department or Business Unit’s needs:

Consult with the TTU IT Division

TTU Departments should always consult with the IT Division first before considering any Technology solution. The IT Division offers a variety of services which may already meet a particular Departmental need. The IT Division also has a highly experienced staff which can assist in making the most informed decision possible in regard to almost any technology application. For example, many of the services traditionally afforded by LAN File and Print Servers are now offered globally by the IT Division, including:

• Campus Storage Area Networks (SAN) for permanent, recoverable network storage
• Email, Calendar, and Centralized Directory Services
• User Authentication (Domain Security Services)
• Web Site Hosting
• High Speed Intranet/Internet Connectivity
• High Quality Printing Services
• Choosing a Server for a purchased or leased Vendor Application

Departments often are faced with the necessity to purchase a Server to run the particular software vendor’s application which best suits the departmental needs. Use the following guidelines when choosing a Server for a purchased Vendor application:

Consult with the Vendor’s technical staff (not Sales staff) to determine the real requirements for your intended use of the software. Be certain to consider the Vendor’s documented requirements for the following factors, while considering your specific number of users and anticipated workload:

• Processor(s)
• Uni or Multi Processor
• Intel-based, Unix-based, or other
• Minimum and recommended processor(s) speed
• Minimum and recommended RAM
• Recommended vs. supported Operating System (OS) Platforms
• Minimum and recommended Hard Drive Storage
• IDE vs. SCSII
• RAID requirements
• Arrangement and number of physical, logical or partitioned drives
• Redundancy
• Clustering
• Network Load Balancing
• Mirrored Servers
• Backup and Recovery requirements
• Network Connectivity and Bandwidth Requirements
• Protocol(s) required
• Bandwidth requirements based on your anticipated number of users
• Requisite Software

Many Vendor applications require other software to be installed. Be sure to acquire the licenses for any other required software at the time of purchase of the Server. Consult with the IT Division or see the section in this document on Purchasing for helpful information on obtaining software licenses at the best price. Examples of commonly required software include:

• Microsoft Office
• Database Software (SQL Server, Oracle, DB2)
• Web Server
• FTP Server

Operating System Requirements

Your Vendor should specify the minimum Operating System level required. License fees for the different versions of Windows 2000 Server vary, so be sure you have licensed the correct OS version. See the Purchasing section of this document for more information. Always apply the latest service packs and security fixes (see the Installation section for more information).

Security Considerations

The Vendor’s implementation of application security should conform to the IT Division standards. See the section on Security for more information.

Integration with TTU Systems

An important consideration when choosing a Vendor application is how and if the application will interface or share data with existing TTU application systems such as TECHFIM, TECHRIS, TECHSIS, and TECHPAY. The Information Systems Unit of the IT Division is available for assistance in managing and interfacing Vendor applications with existing TTU Systems.

Technical Staffing and Skills

One of the most important aspects to consider when choosing and installing a Server is the technical skills that will be required to install, operate, and maintain the Server and its application software. Departments are often not sufficiently staffed to undertake these ongoing tasks. Consult with the Vendor to determine what skills will be required by your staff to perform these tasks. The Server Support group of the IT Division offers varying levels of services from providing assistance to completely hosting and managing departmental Servers for the campus community. Contact TOSM for more information.