Server Hard Disk Maintenance – Defrag or Resize or Hardware Upgrade
Server Defragmentation
If you notice the speed and performance of your servers and network machines lagging, then maybe you think about your hardware. Or you maybe think about getting rid of some of that mass of data clogging up your machines, with employees saving things locally and endless programs and apps running constantly. However, research shows the main cause of lagging performance in networks has nothing to do with any of the above, but with a simple Windows habit: fragmentation.
All computers with hard disks rely on them almost entirely. They also happen to be the only PC component made up of physically moving parts. For every access that your employees make in their workstations, the read/write heads must be physically moved and positioned across the hard disk. When Windows saves their files, it does so by splitting them into small fragments which it then spreads across the disk. The read/write heads must then first find and then fetch all these fragments every time a file is accessed. You probably have huge storage capacities, so the math is easy - this fragmentation not only leads to huge delays in working time, but also to huge strains on your hardware.
This is where server defrag comes in. There are many defragments tools freeware or shareware to do the job like O&O Defrag 12, Perfect Disk Server etc. With these tools, it not only puts the data fragments together again, but also files them in specific zones on the disks in accordance with their usage and size. Suddenly, the weakest link across your network - the hard disks - is strong again. You can gain speed increases of up to 100%, and extend the life expectancy of your hardware by up to 60%.
Server Partition - redistribute server partition space
Besides server defragment tools to maintain your hard disk and optimize system, you can also try some server partition tool like Paragon Partition Manager Server, Partition Wizard Server to redistribute hard disk drive space and without loosing a byte.
Hardware Upgrading
Hardware upgrading is another option to you if the whole disk has been taken up. Then you need to plan purchasing new large disks for better data storage and server management. When making data transfer, we do recommend you to try some backup tool like Acronis True Image to make the transfer. Server is of great importance to a workstation, by some buggy free tools, you are risking your work and might take you tons of time to handle the situation if the free tools fail.