The server question used to be about how much you'd pay for your hardware. Now the question is whether your data files, including backup, are worth $8 per day? If so, FileEngine has a deal for you.

FileEngine, a small company grown out of Server Partners in Indianapolis, turned the way to evaluate file servers upside down. CEO Kim Brand realized his small business customers didn't want file servers per se, they wanted a reliable, secure place to store their files and have them backed up without worrying. The company’s advertising slogans are "no worries" and "It's more than a server. It's a promise."

Big words from a little company you never heard of, right? But for $235 per month (the $8 per day), FileEngine the company will put a physical FileEngine the server and a 620 VA Uninterrupted Power Supply at your location, configure it for your network and storage requirements, and manage it remotely. This includes automatic backups to dual-layer DVDs. Optional services (more $$ per month) include offsite backups over the Internet, licenses for more than 10 users, and more fault tolerant disk space.

FileEngines are custom servers using PC hardware (2.4 GHz Pentium P4 CPU) running a specialized version of Linux that's completely hidden from users. An LCD panel on the front with four pushbuttons provides server information and some maintenance operations like shutdowns, reboots, and creating a special disk image DVD for easy disaster recovery. Hard disks are mirrored, so one disk failure won't lose any of your data. The server doesn't have dual power supplies because that jumps the case price considerably, but does have an extra fan to keep things cool. Even with the extra fan the server is quiet aurally but loud visually: it's fire engine (or FileEngine) red.

Windows software utilities allow a local administrator (called a Key Operator) to add, modify or delete local users and handle a few other housekeeping chores. All other management functions are performed remotely by FileEngine. Data backups run automatically. When a new backup DVD is needed, the FileEngine "sticks out its tongue" by ejecting the DVD. FileEngine sends 100 blank DVDs with the system, and the backups can be read by any Windows computer with a dual layer DVD player.

James Gaskin writes books (16 so far), articles and jokes about technology and real life from his home office in the Dallas area.