Some of the most common problems that our network department handles are issues related to bad server maintenance. Many times, these issues could have been prevented with even the simplest regards to care for the server. It is important to understand what a network server is and how it is different from a typical computer. If you don’t know the exact difference, this article can help clear up the difference.

Here are a few easy tips that you can consider when installing your server.

Servers are different from traditional desktop PC’s, and they require a different level of care. Typically they run much warmer than a desktop. Sometimes, much warmer. Therefore, proper ventilation should be put into place in order to ensure that your server runs at peak performance. It is all too common for people get a new server for their company, and treat it like any other computer by setting it in the back office or a closet out of the way. It should be no surprise that they often overheat in these conditions.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a dedicated server room. Just simply make sure that the room where the server is placed has some type of proper ventilation or air conditioning. Servers run best in cooler environments; somewhere between 68-71®. This can be harder in the summer months for buildings that do not have air conditioning. If so, look into purchasing a server cooling system, or at least investing in a swamp cooler for the server room.

Remember that a server is not a desktop computer. It should be stored away in a dedicated area. Never use a server to browse the internet or perform the operations that a normal PC would. This is for security reasons. A server operating system is not designed the same way as user operating systems. If a virus were to infect the server, your entire business could be at risk.