server maintenance

Server Maintenance: All You Need to Know

Businesses rely on servers to such a great extent that each mistake leads to very costly downtime. The dedicated servers happen to be an essential part of every organization.

Servers should hum along 24/7 flawlessly. But they are just machines at the end of the day and require some maintenance to keep running smoothly. 

Server failure can be prevented from turning into a complete disaster by sticking to simple maintenance and monitoring. It would help if you hired an experienced DevOps engineer to look into the problem and resolve it successfully.

What is Server Maintenance? 

Server maintenance is nothing but the process of keeping the server up-to-date and running to ensure the smooth operation of the organization’s computer network. 

This is crucial for the performance of the business, and the DevOps engineer or network administration conducts this. 

The application software will never function as expected without a proper IT Service plan. In very severe cases, the network may even go through a total failure leading to severe losses for your business.

Types of Servers 

  • Web Server – These primarily share and store websites over the Internet. The small and individual companies rent the web server spaces from other providers. But the large companies experiencing a lot of traffic always call for a dedicated web server.
  • File Server – It works as the central storage for files that client computers can easily access.  
  • Domain Controller – This is a server that responds to the logging in, checking permissions, and other security authentication requests within the network. A domain happens to be a concept where a user can be granted access to various folders, files, and network locations using a combination of a single username and password, which can prevent access of the private files to specific users. 
  • Remote (Terminal) Desktop Server – This one provides secure remote access to business and office applications to contractors or employees from one centralized server instead of the client computers running the software. This makes adding more employees and software deployment very cost-effective and scalable.

A few of the steps involved in Server Maintenance are listed below:

Check whether the backups are working or not – Before making any changes to the server system and database, ensure that you have to take a backup before updating.  Make sure that the backup has no glitches and is working fine. In this case, you also have to choose the right location and the proper backup.

Check the disk usage – Keep the disk storage spick and span. Refrain from using your server system as an archival system. S/W portions, old mails, and logs that are not in use should be deleted. Remember that faster recovery is always facilitated by a smaller data footprint. Continuously monitor your disk usage. The server can stop working if your partition reaches 100%, and the data and database tables can be corrupt and lost.

Update the OS – You should constantly update your system if you use Linux, as these operating systems frequently release updates. That is why staying updated with the systems can be a challenge. To overcome this issue, you can start using automated patch management tools and arrange for monitoring to alert you when the system is outdated.

Update the control panel – If using a hosting Cpanel, make sure that you update it as well. This will ensure that any known issue is fixed related to the hosting and that the system is up to date.

Check system security – The DevOps engineer will review the server’s security with the help of a remote auditing tool.

Following these steps will help maintain your server and ensure its smooth functionality for years.