by Neil Randall and Allen Fear (3/1/2004; updated 2/28/2005)

Whether you run a small business or a department inside a large
enterprise, sooner or later you'll need a server. If you need to back up
networked PCs, share an Internet connection or documents, enable
mobile employees to connect remotely, or any of a myriad other
things, a server--and not just a gussied-up desktop PC--is the right tool
for the job.

But servers require an IT department, right? Not necessarily. A new crop of systems from IBM, HP, and others have hit the market recently, specifically designed to be easy enough for nonexperts to set up and manage--and to be easy on your budget, too.

To find out if they deliver, we've reviewed eight of these low-end servers. Here are the results, along with advice and tools for matching a machine to your company's needs.