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Ask PC Gamer is our weekly question and advice column. Have a burning question about the smoke coming out of your PC? Send your problems to letters@pcgamer.com.
I've had the side panel off my PC for a while, and it runs pretty cool. It feels like too obvious a solution though... everyone would just do that if it worked. So I'm wondering if removing a panel is really a good way to keep your PC cool or is there some reason I shouldn't? — Mark
It's a "do as we say, not as we do" sort of situation. That photo above of the LPC shows the side panel off, but that was just to show off its guts. In practice, you probably aren't going to solve your cooling issues by removing the side panel of your PC.
The principle of air cooling, as described well in this ExtremeTech guide, is to create either positive or negative air pressure within the case. Both have pros and cons, and there's tons of disagreement over optimal fan placement, but the point is: bring cool air in, heat it up, and get it out. When you remove the side panel, you disrupt the intended airflow of the case—whatever it may be—and also invite more dust to settle on your components. So it's not recommended.
If your system runs significantly cooler with the side panel off—except in some very specific situations I might not have anticipated—your case and its fans are either designed poorly or working poorly. I tested my PC at home with the case on and off, and the difference was negligible (everything was well within safe ranges with either configuration). I'm also a terrible example, because I'm horribly lazy and often leave the panel off when I'm swapping lots of parts. Remember, not as we do...
So, while removing the case panel won't be catastrophic, it counteracts the intended cooling solution of your case, and even if it works without the panel, there's the dust problem. If you really want that open air look, then yes, you can safely run a caseless computer—our friends at Max PC pointed out a couple years ago that natural convection can keep a test bench PC within safe temperatures, assuming the room is kept reasonably cool. There's still the dust, though, and I'm very anti-dust.
If you have a case, you're best off leaving the panel on and letting it work as intended. And if you're having serious overheating problems, then look for the real issue. It could be a problem with your CPU cooler, your PC may need a cleaning, the fans may not be operating properly or are obstructed (cable management is important!), or your case may just have terrible airflow (sorry). Any of these cases would be a good choice for your next build, and until we have an air cooling guide of your own, I'll refer you back to ExtremeTech for more specific tips.
Cloud computing provides on-demand access to computing resources like servers, data storage, networks, applications, and development tools. These computing capabilities are delivered as a service. Companies can rent servers to save costs on building in-house data centers.
The most common models of cloud services are:
Companies use one or a combination of these models for their IT requirements.
Cloud computing servers also come in three common types:
Learn more about the types of cloud computing in this in-depth article.
Cloud computing works on a pay-as-you-go pricing model. You only need to pay for the resources you use. Businesses can save costs on hardware, energy, and in-house technical specialists with cloud solutions. In-house IT staff also has to deal with redundancies and maintenance costs.
With the cloud, you can replicate your data for redundancies. The costs of hardware and data loss are minimized.
An OpsRamp survey noted that 94% of IT managers aim to lower IT setup costs. The survey also showed that 55% of respondents want to reduce their IT budgets by 30% with cloud services. Another benefit of access cloud is its cost reduction in scaling. You don't need to invest in data centers worldwide to expand globally.
You can rent servers from leading cloud providers. Renting servers provides low investments and high returns. Cloud computing helps you focus on your business priorities. You can streamline operations in all sectors using the cloud. Operations and capital expenses are reduced due to cloud solutions.
Cloud providers aim to deliver faster network bandwidths to multiple users. They do this by adding continuous updates to reduce latency. In an INAP survey, respondents were asked what influenced their cloud migration.
Around 42% of respondents said improvement in network speed and low latency. You also get more uptime with regional data centers offered by cloud providers.
Hardware can quickly become outdated and slow. Cloud providers have short refresh cycles for servers. You get better performance with the latest technology due to cloud computing.
Companies want to invest in better security models with an increase in cyber threats. Moving to the cloud does not remove security threats, but it reduces the risk of attacks. Cloud providers add security and compliance measures to their systems. These reduce the security workloads for your team.
You also get low-cost access to big data for analysis. Using big data, you can analyze security and log data for better insights. These insights provide more visibility into your company’s security posture. You get faster detection of threats with automation and recovery tools.
Along with that, cloud providers also lookout for threats. The threats are removed using the latest security technologies. A Verizon Data Breach Report found that 45% of breaches were caused by hacking. Around 17% of the attacks were malware, and 22% were social attacks. To fight such threats, you need a team of experts to secure the servers.
With cloud computing, these tasks are shifted to the cloud provider's team. The expert team carefully monitors security and detects threats. Companies also use data encryption and opt for a private server.
They opt for managed security services to improve security.
With cloud services, you can deploy within days, not months. Cloud computing allows you to integrate and test new technologies quickly. Using end-to-end automation, companies can develop and release code.
The code can be shifted into production environments faster. Cloud offers an agile application development environment. You can quickly analyze customer demands, make updates and deliver products.
Cloud’s flexible infrastructure allows you to scale on-demand. Data centers compel you to estimate IT requirements and buy servers in bulk.
With cloud computing, you can scale the resources as per your needs. The network bandwidths, storage, and processing power are scaled on demand.
Auto Scaling enables you to scale resources automatically. You can upscale during high traffic and downscale when the surge ends. Auto Scaling helps reduce management tasks and saves costs. Cloud computing enhances flexibility for your business. You can scale quickly using cloud solutions.
In-house data centers restrict access to data to a single location. The data is only stored on the on hard drives.
Cloud computing offers remote access. Companies have complete control over accessibility. Around 89% of global IT departments allow Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) practices in some form in the workforce. You can test applications and deploy new features through mobile devices.
Cloud-based services are made for remote working. You can hire freelancers remotely with cloud services.
Cloud computing enhances collaboration as workers get access to data in real-time. In a Forbes survey, 87% of business leaders said that the cloud offered a breakthrough in collaboration. Business managers realize that the IT staff should not lose time taking care of servers.
Instead, they need to focus on their unique and core business goals. Cloud computing allows your IT team to solve business issues.
You can focus on building new projects that increase consumer satisfaction. Cloud computing also improves productivity as the IT team can collaborate in real-time. Your team can work remotely and collaborate on projects.
Cloud-native businesses have a faster recovery rate after a data breach. With cloud services, your data is stored in the cloud and backed up on many data centers. Even if one server fails, it can be replaced by other servers without you losing downtime.
Continuous uptime is important for any business. Cloud allows easy cloud storage and data restoration after a disaster. With classic data centers, the recovery process is long and limited.
If you don't have backups, you risk losing your data permanently. With cloud servers, you can create disaster recovery plans and quickly implement them using cloud-based recovery tools.
Companies that choose cloud early got a significant advantage. They built a cloud strategy, failed fast, and learned from their mistakes. Dell technologies noted that companies investing in the cloud gained 53% faster revenue growth. Cloud computing is the next step to digital transformation. Companies are moving to the cloud at a fast rate.
A Harvard Business Review report states that the cloud has set a new benchmark for business success and high performance. Organizations that do not use cloud services are at a disadvantage. Businesses are asking why to choose cloud computing. The answer is that cloud services are more of a necessity than an option. The benefits of the cloud are much higher than classic servers.
Cloud computing brings faster innovation to companies. Cloud providers are updating their servers and using the latest technology. Cloud security is also increasing at a rapid pace. Companies can embrace innovative technologies due to the cloud.
Using the cloud, you can build better solutions for customers. Cloud computing makes it easy for you to innovate. Insights from big data and automation are the next step.
Companies can use these tools to learn more about their consumers. Automation will reduce manual labor and help save costs. With machine learning, you can get better consumer insights. Businesses that opt for the cloud are also reducing the CO2 footprint.
With this, they are promoting innovation in sustainable practices. The energy consumption of classic data centers is high. Renting servers decreases energy consumption.
Businesses recognize the benefits of cloud computing. You get better ROI, enhanced collaboration, flexibility, and fewer workloads. Cloud services have been around for almost two decades. We have seen an increase in cloud adoption during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Businesses are using cloud-based services for their efficient capabilities. For large-scale enterprises, the cloud removes technical workloads. The Cloud also improves performance and efficiency in different departments.
Small and medium-sized businesses can quickly scale globally with cloud solutions. If you are thinking about why to choose cloud computing, these benefits are helpful.
Cloud management also becomes a essential aspect of cloud adoption. As companies learn to unlock the full potential of the cloud, managing the cloud servers becomes essential. You can install CloudPanel, a free control panel for cloud server management.
For more insights on cloud computing and server management, check out our blog.