A Server is a type of computer, it provides processing and memory resources for different workloads. The server can refer to the computer program that delivers a service, such as an email management system. Most hardware-related references concern the physical machine. Servers host applications, manage files, process emails, and stream media and perform analytics. Any organization can benefit from the power and flexibility that servers provide difficult to know which types of server hardware to choose.
Today's servers are mostly available in three forms: racks, blades and mainframes. The majority of IT team turns in to rack and blade servers to meet their server requirements. Some teams mainframe computers to handle their workloads, although not nearly to the extent of rack and blade servers. Rack, blade and mainframe servers all their advantages and disadvantages and buyers should carefully weigh up these different types of server hardware before deciding on a product. Buyers do not need to limit their selection to any one type. Organizations can choose best for the workloads they need to support with an eye on budget and space constraints.
This design is called client server model and a single overall computation is distributed across multiple processes or devices. Servers can provide different functionalities, often called "services", such as sharing data or assets among multiple clients, or performing computation for a client. A single server can serve the multiple clients and a single client can use multiple servers. A client procedure may run on the same device or may connect over a network to a server on a different device. Typical servers are database servers like, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers.
A client sends a request to the server, which performs some action and sends a reaction back to the client. Designating a computer as "server-class hardware" imply that it is specialized for running servers on it. A Server is a computer program or device that provide a service to another computer program and also known as the client. In a data center, the physical computer server program runs on is also frequently referred to as a server. That machine may be dedicated server or it may be used for other purposes as well.
A server program await and fulfills requests from client programs, which may be running in the same or other computers. A given application in a computer may well function as a client with requests for services from other programs and also as a server of requests from other programs.
Types of servers
Servers are often categorize in terms of their purpose. A few examples of the types of servers available they are:
- A Web server is computer program that serves requested HTML pages or files. In this case a Web browser act as the client.
- An application server is a program computer in distributed network that provides the business logic for an application program.
- A proxy server is software that acts as intermediary between an endpoint device, such as a computer, and another server from which a user or client is requesting a service.
- A mail server is an application that receives incoming e-mails from local users (people within the same domain) and remote senders and forwards outgoing e-mails for delivery.
- A virtual server is a running program on a shared server that is configured in such a way that it seems to each user that they have complete control of a server.
- A sharp edge server is a server chassis housing multiple thin, modular electronic circuit boards, known as server blades. Every blade is a server in its own right, often dedicated to a single application.