Why Server Maintenance is So Important

Updates have become a regular part of our lives. Whether it’s your phone, your computer, your software programs, or even a gaming system, you likely receive a notification every week or two informing you that there’s an update available.  

In certain situations, these updates may be required before you can continue to use a particular device or piece of software. Often, however, they are “optional”. That is, you get to choose when (or if) they’re done. 

While these updates are important and provide critical functionality and security updatesignoring them won’t have immediate repercussions for most personal devices. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be updating your phone or that personal copy of PhotoshopIgnoring updates can lead to technical issues, and may even expose you to security risks.  

That’s why, when it comes to commercial devices, it’s critical to always stay on-top of updates and general maintenance for the sake of security and performance. This is especially true when it comes to your server systems. 

What Does Server Maintenance Look Like?

Updating and maintaining a server is more than simply installing a newer version of the OS that runs on it. A server doesn’t just involve a singular piece of software, but a network of software and firmware that works together to keep your systems running. Because of this, updates and patches are performed across multiple areas of the server. 

Additionally, servers need to be physically examined, cleaned, have their temperatures monitored, and more. 

The most critical part of server maintenance, however, is verifying and updating backups. With proper backups in place, a business is protected against any number of otherwise catastrophic situations. Should updates cause an issue or temporarily take your system offline, backups can be utilized to quickly get you up and running. 

However, to keep things running and updated, systems have to occasionally go offline, powered down, and/or reset so that changes can be implemented. Update scheduling and rollouts are an important part of server maintenance. This allows updates to happen during non-critical hours, usually late at night or over the weekend. 

While it might seem like a hassle to keep everything constantly updated and occasionally experience a brief loss in performance as your system is updated, it’s far better than the alternative. Server updates and maintenance are what keep your systems running optimally and protected from the latest in cyber threats.  

The strategies used by hackers and malicious programs are constantly evolving as system weaknesses are discovered. Constant maintenance and upgrading are the only ways to keep your systems safe. 

As you might imagine, this involves a lot of on-going work, often requiring a dedicated person (or team) to monitor statuses, schedule updates, and rollout changes. Because of this, many modern businesses rely on third parties to handle their ongoing monitoring and maintenance. 

At DataYard, we not only employ an experienced staff of IT professionals, but we have our own data center fully equipped to handle your hosting needs. With these two areas of service combined, we’re perfectly positioned to be all-in-one network solution. 

We’ll make sure that your systems are monitored, maintained, and equipped with the latest cyber security in Dayton, Ohio. Contact us today. 

Our Data Center is Here for You

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR HOSTING AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES


What to Look for in Colocation

With a growing need for flexibility, scalability, complexity, and power, more and more businesses are keeping their server systems off-site. While cloud servers work great for a number of businesses, some companies need (or just want) to utilize their own equipment. 

Colocation is still very much alive in the 2020soffering a best of both worlds approach to hosting. Businesses get to purchase, setup, and control their own equipment. However, they don’t have to worry about housing, cooling, or powering it. 

That is, as long as they choose the right colocation provider. What should you look for when deciding on a colocation site? 

What to look for in colocation...

Scalability 

One big reason businesses look to colocation is because they simply don’t have the space to house their equipment. But it’s not enough for a colocation space to meet your current needs. As your business grows, your technical needs will grow as well. This doesn’t just mean you need more space, but you will also need more power. 

Before looking at a colocation space, consider what your technical needs might be 5-10 years from now. Make sure that you choose a provider that can easily grow with you, providing the space and resources you need. 

Accessibility  

While colocation systems might be housed off-premises, they’ll still need to be accessible to your team. After all, it’s your equipment. With how dependent businesses are on keeping their systems operational at all times, you need to be able to get to your equipment anytime, day or night. 

24-hour access, 7 days a week, 365 days a year is a must. 

Security 

Servers don’t just need digital protection; they need to be physically safe as well. While protecting your systems from cyber threats might be the responsibility of your team, it’s up to your colocation provider to keep your equipment safe. 

In addition to keeping it secured from unauthorized access and theft, they also need to keep it temperature controlled, safe from power outages, and more. 

Our Colocation Services 

In need of a secure, scalable, and reliable colocation facility to house your servers and equipment? Our Data Center is an excellent choiceWherever you’re operating from, our facility has the capacity and capabilities for both today’s and tomorrow’s needs. 

Here’s what you can expect from our colocation services: 

  • Move-in Ready 
  • Scalable 
  • 24/7/365 Customer Access 
  • SOC 2 TYPE II Certified 

Not entirely sure what you need? Maybe you’re looking for additional help building out your infrastructure? Our experienced team of IT consultants in Dayton, Ohio is up to the task. For all of your hosting, IT, and data center needs, DataYard is here for you. 

Our Data Center is Here for You

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COLOCATION SERVICES


May Maintenance week 2020

Throughout the week of May 11th 2020, we will be performing maintenance on DataYard’s infrastructure and customer servers. This will include performing updates to all managed server infrastructure, including tasks that require reboots/shutdowns/service interruptions.  Maintenance will begin at 2:00AM EST and will be completed by 8:00AM EST throughout various days this week. Making IT Better!

Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat: 1.800.982.4539 or [email protected]. Remember to follow us on Twitter (@datayardtechops & @datayard)!