Proposal

Even though you may not think you need a file server because you are a small business, well that is one of the main reasons you should own one.  In today's world larger businesses use data centers or even the cloud for file services that a simple stand-alone file server could provide.  The prices for a stand-alone file server have reduced over the years, so now is the best time to invest in one.  The initial cost of a file server is an investment comparatively speaking to other options that cost monthly.  We will discuss all the file server component options available to ensure we find the best fit for your company.  Consider this file server one of your own employees and the investment you place in it will return ten-fold.

File servers are computers with a different operating system than your workstations, and specifically contain all your businesses critical files to ensure they are secure and redundant.  Starting off with a terabyte gives your company room to grow and expand as you need, plus the ability to keep every file you deem necessary.  Considering this device known as your file server would contain sensitive documentation and files, a terabyte hard drive with a redundant drive would work beautifully.  Remember, it is best to have a redundant hard drive as it is a backup of the original, this will ensure if one fails there is another to fall back on that would contain a copy of the first.

Storage Comparison
Brand	Western Digital	Seagate	Western Digital	Seagate
Model	WD10EZRZ	ST1000NM0011	WD1004FBYZ	ST31000640SS
Capacity	1 Terabyte	1 Terabyte	1 Terabyte	1 Terabyte
Cache	64 MB	64 MB	128 MB	16 MB
RPM	5400 RPM	7200 RPM	7200 RPM	7200 RPM
Price	$49.99	$175.49	$98.99	$131.49

Some people may say the more memory a computer has the better, but that is not always the case.  A simple file server that has only thirty to fifty employees accessing files simultaneously throughout the day could run smoothly with a capacity of anywhere between 16 GB to 32 GB of memory.  The capacity of memory is only the beginning as the data rate and timing plays a huge role in how a server would perform with it.  Recently released memory can contain data rates upwards of DDR4, but a simple DDR3 would do the job perfectly also.  I have listed just a few options when comparing memory purchases.  With the below available to choose from the best choice that I would recommend is the G.Skill Trident Z as it has a high capacity, good over-clockability and a moderate per-GB price.  This specific memory kit is definitely a bargain for a DDR4 with more than 16GB.

Memory Comparison
Name	G.Skill Ripjaws X	Corsair Vengeance Pro	Patriot Viper 4	G.Skill Trident Z
Model	F3-14900CL10D16GBXL	CMY32GX3M4A28	PV416G340C6K	F4-3000C15D-32
Data Rate	DDR3-1866	DDR3-2800 (XMP)	DDR4-3400 (XMP)	32GB (2x 16GB)
Capacity	16GB (2x 8GB)	32GB (4x 8GB)	16 GB (2x 8GB)	DDR4-3000 (XMP)
Timings	10-11-11-30	12-14-14-36	16-18-18-36 (2T)	15-15-15-35 (2T)
Cost	$119.00	$575.99	$149.00	$239.99

A CPU is by far the number one component to splurge on, as without a strong CPU a computer is pretty much useless when processing multiple tasks at a time.  To ensure you have a strong enough CPU, there are many things to factor into the equation. For example, the operating frequency should be at least about 2.6GHz or so.  The number of cores also plays a large part between an average Quad-Core or larger.  There are quite a few CPU manufacturers but the well known top two competitors are Intel and AMD.  The brand selection comes down to personal preference and not so much the cost of purchase.

CPU Comparison
Brand	Intel	AMD	Intel	AMD
Name	Xeon X5550	Opteron 6320	Xeon E3-1240 v5	Opteron 6348
# of Cores	Quad-Core	8-Core	Quad-Core	12-Core
Operating Frequency	2.66 GHz	2.8 GHz	3.5 GHz	2.8GHz
L2 Cache	4 x 256KB	4 x 2MB		6 x 2MB
L3 Cache	8MB	2 x 8MB	8MB	2 x 8MB
Cost	$61.01	$315.72	$274.99	$616.19

Aside from the internal components of a file server the external input and output peripherals will need to be purchased also.  From the basic input devices such as a keyboard and mouse will be easy to select as you may even have some extra's lying around the office.  To the main output device the computers screen, also known as a monitor.  File servers can even second as a print server, by simply setting up the printer output device to run specifically from the server.  This would allow employees to print their files from the comfort of their desk and pick it up wherever you find easiest.

Overall, there are numerous variables to factor in when considering an investment in a file server.  After discussing a majority of the variables, the file server should be affordable and effective.  The file server recommendation is tower shell housing with a two terabyte redundant hard drives for storage.  The Intel CPU Xeon E3-1240 v5, which has 3.8GHz operating frequency and is a quad-core, as it is the best deal for the cost of $274.99.  Next up is the memory expansion recommendation of the Patriot Viper 4.  The data rate is much higher than the others but the price is not a huge difference at a whopping $149.  This memory set comes with two sticks of 8GB memory totaling 16GB, which is more than enough.  This system will take your small business above and beyond if you will let it.

References

Englander, I. (2014). The Architecture of Computer Hardware, Systems Software, & Networking An information technology approach. Don FowleY.

NewEgg. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2017, from NewEgg: http://www.newegg.com

PCWorld. (2009, May 8). Do You Need a File Server? Retrieved February 24, 2017, from PCWorld: http://www.pcworld.com/article/164632/do_you_need_a_file_server.html