Choosing a new server is a big decision: the right one could help your company grow thanks to better communication, fewer failures and features that make a difference. Buy the wrong one and you could be left cursing your decision for months and even years.

To help, we’ve produced a comprehensive guide to choosing a new server. This isn’t a theoretical piece: it’s full of practical advice so that you can buy with confidence.

We’re also fully aware that some small businesses have never bought a server before, relying instead on an ad hoc network of PCs – or perhaps a desktop PC loaded with Windows XP that’s trying to fulfil server duties. So, we’ve also produced a guide to buying a new server for the first time.

One crucial question is which software to use. For small businesses, we recommend you consider Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials. While its primary focus is on simplicity, prepare to be surprised by the features on offer: remote access to files, integration with cloud services such as Office 365, not to mention easy backup of both the server and connected PCs.

For slightly larger companies, with up to 75 employees, Windows SBS 2011 Standard is a better solution, and again our guide reveals why. For a start, it bundles in Exchanges Server 2010 SP1, giving everything you need for in-house email, calendar and scheduling in one box.

Not sure which is right for you? Then read our head-to-head article. And if you’re wondering exactly which server to buy, take a look at the PC Pro review of the Dell PowerEdge T110 II.

Secure your PCs

Cyber-crime costs UK businesses £21 billion a year, and the criminals don't care what size of business they attack. If they spot a vulnerability then they will exploit it, so the question every business needs to ask is simple: am I protected? 

For a start, find out how to secure your PCs and laptops. We cover everything from fundamentals such as internet security software, to choosing the right version of Windows and getting help from the professionals at Dell ProSupport.

(If you don’t know what Dell ProSupport offers, read our summary of the service and get an insight into a day’s work of an ProSupport technician in our Q&A interview with Zahid Mahmood, who’s worked at Dell for the past five years.)

We also reveal the top seven security features of Windows 7. Are you aware that encryption is as easy as right-clicking on a folder, for instance? Or that you can back up a PC’s entire system drive to a business network?

If your business has over 250 seats, read our guide to Dell’s solutions for medium-sized enterprises. Nor do we forget smaller businesses, revealing the five biggest threats – not least of which are your humble employees!

And finally, take the opportunity to enter our competition. Thanks to Microsoft, we’re giving away ten boxed copies of Windows 7 Professional. Good luck!