How Much Memory and Disk Space Will My Server Need?
Server Role
Servers are designed to efficiently provide shared applications and resources to individual computers over a network. Specifically, a server can be responsible for providing access to:
- Databases
- Websites
- Email
- Files and applications
- Video and other multimedia-based content
- Terminal services for remote access
- Collaboration and chatting
- Any combination of the above
Each type of role creates different data processing and information storage needs, which directly impacts the amount of memory and hard drive space a server needs for optimal performance. A file server, for example, is likely to need less memory and more storage space than other types of servers as a result of its primary function involving a greater emphasis on data transfer than data processing.
In theory, your server can never have too much memory or storage space, but in reality cost and space limitations make it a necessity to determine an amount that will best fit what your server will be used for while balancing these needs with your organizational or departmental budgetary constraints.
The good news is that in most cases both RAM and storage space can be increased fairly easily, allowing you to increase your server's performance as its role expands over time, or as the number of users it needs to support increases.
