Despite what the exact purpose is of the machine, having a dedicated server within the workplace and home presents many unique opportunities.  There are some general configurations that servers can run on, but most can get away with the same type of build.  Since there is such a massive variety of component ranges, there is a great build for anyone currently.

Servers inside the home can be just about any system conceivable.  Due to the low power requirements and beefy builds netbook computers have today, they are sometimes the most effective all in one solutions, since home servers are relatively simple.  A server can also serve a dual purpose, such as a computer for a home media center or possibly a daily computing system.  It is good to have very low power consumption and build with the future in mind, since mid end modern components stay viable for several years versus low end systems that can be bought for nothing.  Lately AMD has unveiled very affordable APUs, which bundle the graphics card and processor into one unit.  These kinds of APU processors are going to be the wave of the future, since they pack a lot of processing and graphics power into one low power reasonably priced unit.  Servers normally take up more RAM, so installing as much of that as possible is a good idea.

Setting up the software appropriately can mean the difference between a tool and an endless headache.  Today Windows 7 provides enough stability to host a server that is constantly on.  It is important to start off with a clean install of Windows 7, then install only the drivers that are absolutely necessary.  An antivirus is always needed, and a free one is adequate.  It is a great idea to always have the server update itself automatically and restart itself automatically when updates are completed.  A DNS client is important in providing a static IP address to access a server through, since ISPs always switch people’s IP addresses.  Many different offerings provide clients that will immediately update when the IP changes, so there is no reason to not be able to hook up when out and about.

After setting up everything necessary on the computer, it is necessary to do a load test on the system.  For businesses, buying some load testing tools or hiring a company to do it will make sure that the server is totally bulletproof and will not crash.  A lot of people will run into a bandwidth bottleneck, and others with less RAM may find that to be a problem.  If bandwidth is the issue, getting a router that is capable of modifying the specifics of its quality of service engine will serve best.  This will permit other computers on the network to download and surf the Internet without adversely affecting the server.

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