How templated servers save time and reduce costs

Templated servers, or perhaps more easily understood as ‘server templates’, are pre-configured servers that have been ‘saved’ as templates. It’s no different from designing, using, and reusing a spreadsheet template for your taxes, or page templates for your website content. Server templates help you save hours or even days you’d otherwise spend setting up servers and fixing configuration issues. And since these server templates are used in the cloud, they’ll all but eliminate hardware expenses.

Advantages of Using Templated Servers

Templated servers follow the principle of “design once, use many” and are not only limited to configurations. Fully configured servers with apps already installed can be saved as templates to streamline the process of deploying server environments. But they also deliver other important benefits.

Standardisation

Since templated servers are pre-installed and pre-configured, they provide standardisation. On the one hand, this means that new servers can be spun up quickly. On the other hand, it also simplifies change management since new deployments are quick, easily managed, and can be automated.

The amount of time saved here can be hard to calculate since there are many different types of servers and configurations. Nevertheless, it’s so significant that they can help free up big chunks of time that can now be spent on mission-critical objectives.

Cost reduction

Templated servers assist with cost control through resource optimisation, automation, and centralised maintenance and compliance.

Resource optimisation: Optimal resource allocation remains a problem for many organisations, which can push up their monthly cloud expenses. Server templates can be configured to ensure each server is configured with only the necessary resources, avoiding over-provisioning and under-utilisation.

Automation: Automation tools come part and parcel with server templates and reduce the need for manual intervention. Server management (including deployments) can easily be managed and scheduled centrally, which in turn reduces associated labour costs and also reduces the potential for expensive human error.

Maintenance and Compliance: Keeping servers up to date and compliant with industry standards or company policies is easier with templates. Instead of updating individual servers manually, templates can be updated once and then rolled out across all servers. This reduces the time and resources spent on maintenance and ensures consistency across the infrastructure.

Scalability: Server templates are often used in scenarios where computing resource demand fluctuates; new servers that are based on predefined can be deployed or destroyed within a few clicks, or through the use of automation software. This dynamic flexibility allows for controlled resource usage, which helps control costs.

Error reduction: Configuration errors can lead to security vulnerabilities, system failures, or performance issues. Using a standardised template reduces the risk of these issues. The consistency in server configurations makes it easier to manage security policies and ensures that best practices are followed across the entire infrastructure.

Use Cases

Perhaps the easiest way to explain what server templates are is by way of use cases:

1. Web Hosting and E-commerce Platforms

In a hosting context, server templates can be used to quickly deploy new customer environments for eCommerce sites and websites. Server templates can also be used to scale existing customer environments to quickly meet a peak in demand.

2. Software Development and Testing

Developers use templated servers to spin up or destroy environments for new projects, feature development, and testing – all in just a few clicks. This facilitates continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, speeding up development cycles and so reducing time to market for new software releases or updates.

3. Disaster Recovery

Since virtually any server can be templated, it makes sense that server templates should be integrated into disaster recovery strategies. Being able to deploy server templates within minutes can help minimise data loss and the impact on normal business operations.

4. Cloud Migration

Templated servers can be used to replicate on-premises environments during an om-prem to cloud migration. This streamlines the process, saves a lot of time, and makes it easier to replicate on-premise environments in the cloud while reducing the risk of configuration errors at the same time.

5. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Templated servers can also be used to deploy pre-configured desktop environments for users. This can be especially useful in environments where there are frequently new users. In a VDI context templated servers allow for standardised, secure, and easily manageable desktop experience.

6. IoT and Edge Computing

Templated servers enable the rapid deployment and management of the infrastructure needed to process and analyse data close to the source. This is essential for applications requiring real-time or near-real-time data processing.

7. Gaming and Media Streaming

In the gaming and media streaming industries, demand can fluctuate significantly. Templated servers allow for quick scaling of resources to handle spikes in user traffic, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted service for end-users.

8. Educational Platforms and Online Learning

For educational institutions and online learning platforms, templated servers can support the deployment of learning management systems (LMS) and other educational applications. This ensures that students and educators have reliable and consistent access to resources.

Conclusion

Templated servers streamline the process of deploying and managing server environments, leading to significant time and cost savings. They enhance efficiency, reduce the potential for errors, and ensure that resources are optimised and aligned with business needs. As businesses continue to look for ways to innovate while keeping costs under control, the use of templated servers is likely to grow.