Why you need a modular server!

Server hardware is a nightmare to maintain in remote and isolated environments. You need modular server hardware for these situations.

If you're deploying with rackmount servers.... you need to space for the rack, adequate cooling, physical security, and you need to make sure that your gear is adequately isolated from OTHER vendors if you're in a mixed hosting environment. If this is a secure environment, you're really stuck if you don't have remote access. I'd also advise keeping a Louisville Slugger onhand to fend off techs who don't know the difference between your isolated environment and the upstream network.

If you're deploying with tower servers.... please stop reading this article and go look for another job somewhere you can cause less damage professionally. No, really, no es bueno. 

What you REALLY need, is a rugged windows server that bolts right into the wall, is super low maintenance, and MODULAR.

Wait, what? Why do I need that?

Glad you asked. 

You need a rugged, yet modular server because no matter how low the failure rate of your components, or how well you've planned for redundancy, you're still going to be troubleshooting issues for the customer.

Wait? Why doesn't the customer call the server hardware manufacturer, or Microsoft, or, like, my 1-800 #?

Another good question, and here's the answer. The reason is, you're good at your job, and you respond faster than the other guys do. So, no matter what your job role technically is, if the customer gets better service from you, they're going to be trying you 1st to see if you're the person who can answer the question 1st. 

So now what? I guess the customer is going to be calling me, even though I'm just the application developer.

You got it champ. You're at the top of the food chain with your application riding high like an egg sitting on top of a delicious bowl of ramen noodles. If the motherboard fails on the system you put in, and your application is affected, you're getting the call. What did you expect? For the customer to call some Taiwanese PCB manufacturer 1st? No, they're calling you because you're the guy who has the vested interest in getting the server back online.

Believe me, we've been there, and that is why we've built a new server platform which does it's best to.....

a) Keep people from messing with your gear on-site.

b) Create a simple, easy environment which you can coach operators though WHEN things inevitably go wrong.

The server system we created is the Aertight Server Platform, and it's really pretty amazing. Its not only a full Microsoft Windows Server that can be paired together and clustered for redundancy, it's built like a tank for security and has field removable components.

Field Removable Components? 

Yes. We designed the system so that you can install the enclosure, mount it without worrying about getting metal shavings on the equipment, and then install the display, subpanel, and motherboard. Even the motherboard can come out and be swapped out. If you need to ship something directly to the customer to have them test and then install, you can coach them right through all this, from a beach in Barbados.

Want to learn more? Give us a call today!