What's a NUC you ask? The team might say 'a server in bunny rabbit ears', but the official term is Next Unit of Computing. A NUC is a little bit like a miniature PC, and can often be used as a cost-effective alternative to a fully-fledged server when a business doesn't require the full works. This handy bit of hardware has its pros and cons, which we are going to get stuck into...

The Pros of a NUC 

• It works great as a cheap alternative for businesses who cannot justify and do not need a full server - if it's used for small tasks as it should be, you're unlikely to experience any issues

• They use less electricity, which means lesser costs and a little bit kinder to the planet

• NUCs are small form factor meaning they take up less room physically, and we could all do with saving a bit of space

The Cons of a NUC

• It's not enterprise-grade, meaning it's on a very basic level with limited functions 

• NUCs can bring up issues that are harder to diagnose than normal servers, especially as they don't have the full support and warranty from a manufacturer unlike its server-alternative

• The hardware is of lower quality and is therefore likely to have more issues that come with it

So, what's the deal? Will it work for your business?

If you are interested in using a NUC in your business - that's great, just be aware there are caveats to this route and make sure you abide by two rules. Firstly, do not run critical activity on them that requires high availability. It cannot be overloaded with more than its capability if businesses are using a NUC as a normal server - it's going to meet problems along the way. It simply isn't designed for that purpose. And secondly, be prepared with backups in case of an outage. Make sure you have your items replicated and on standby (always a good move regardless of your setup!).

As we have for all of the clients we have advised on NUCs, your IT team or management should explain the pros and cons and will know whether NUC is a solution for your business. Still unsure? Let's chat it over. It's better to be safe than sorry.