Editor's note
Every business must eventually upgrade its servers and other hardware. For some, the server refresh project comes around once every two to four years, but some data centers hold on to old equipment for longer. The exact time for a server refresh project depends on the circumstances of the business, but this guide offers up some general advice on when to upgrade and the options currently on the market.
1Hardware: Server refresh options
You've determined that you need a server refresh, so it's time to pick the products that work for your data center. The upgrade process is a good time to evaluate whether your current types of server hardware still fit workload needs. Do you want to stick with traditional servers? What about microservers or even a mainframe? Now's the time, so take a look at your options.
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Checking off the necessary steps in a server upgrade
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2Server software upgrades: The other side of the refresh
Once the hardware is chosen for your server refresh, it's time to look at the software. Is there anything you'd change about your current operating system? A server refresh is the perfect time to upgrade to new versions of an OS or to get an entirely new one. Plus, now that you're upgrading systems you can build some server monitoring software into the plan, or add a layer of automation to the data center. The possibilities are nearly endless.
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Adding automation to the data center
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