Does anyone here use a server for trading? I have 3 trading computers. I am considering replacing the 2 computers that I use for trading software, but I am wondering if it might make more sense to buy a server and run my trading applications from the server. What are the pro's and cons of this approach?
Unless your trading software is set up to be run in a client-server environment, it probably won't work as easily or seamlessly as you might like.
I have two comps. One with windows for trading SW and second with openbsd for data sampling and strategy testing/ developing/ optimizing. I hope you don't need dedicated server for standard trading SW. The only advantage of the server is fault tolerance, servers are projected for 24x7 run. I plan buy one for this reason.
For hardware, you might chose RAID-SCSI harddrive system for server type configuration. For OS, WindowsServer2003(NT5.2) is excellent. Actually, it's faster than Xp(NT5.1). The karnel is revised. The benefit of using Server2003 is the OS has powerful remote control feature that Xp Pro doesn't have. If you have multiple PCs in LAN, it's very useful. The most reasonable way to get the OS is using MSDN or another campaign pak from MS. To configure the server to a workstation see below. http://www.msfn.org/win2k3/
Before responding, let's be clear about what you're thinking of doing? Are you just asking about the practicality of running all of what you currently have running on two computers on one larger machine (what you're calling a "server")? Or are you considering an actual server with one or more workstation arrangement where you're thinking of physically executing the software on the server but displaying it on multiple workstation screens? In the first case, the term "server" is a misnomer. It could be a box that is sold under the title "server" or it could just be a high powered workstation. The configuration of the box isn't what makes it a server - it's how it's used (i.e., is it serving anything to other machines). In the second case, that arrangement would be a terminal server style setup - software runs physically on the server processor with 1 or more workstations opening virtual desktops on the server via LAN and having the virtual displays shipped to and displayed on the workstation.