What's a "server"?

Question

What does it do?

Answer 1

Servers occupy a place in computing similar to that occupied by minicomputers in the past, which they have largely replaced. The typical server is a computer system that operates continuously on a network and waits for requests for services from other computers on the network. Many servers are dedicated to this role, but some may also be used simultaneously for other purposes, particularly when the demands placed upon them as servers are modest. For example, in a small office, a large desktop computer may act as both a desktop workstation for one person in the office and as a server for all the other computers in the office. The term 'Server' originates from the word 'Serve', therefore this computer system is mainly serving the whole network that it is connected to in any form, whether by queueing up the printing jobs of several users, to even acting as a file server for applications that online terminals could access. The name 'Server' is another term given to 'Host computers'.

Servers today are physically similar to most other general-purpose computers, although their hardware configurations may be particularly optimized to fit their server roles, if they are dedicated to that role. Many use hardware identical or nearly identical to that found in standard desktop PCs. However, servers run software that is often very different from that used on desktop computers and workstations.

Servers should not be confused with mainframes, which are very large computers that centralize certain information-processing activities in large organizations and may or may not act as servers in addition to their other activities. Many large organizations have both mainframes and servers, although servers usually are smaller and much more numerous and decentralized than mainframes.

Servers frequently host hardware resources that they make available on a controlled and shared basis to client computers, such as printers (print servers) and file systems (file servers). This sharing permits better access control (and thus better security) and can reduce costs by reducing duplication of hardware.

Answer 2

Basically a server has two components. A hardware component and a software component. The hardware component just provides better resources for the software component to work on. Some software servers can run on either server hardware or general desktop hardware. Although, the desktop hardware may not provide optimum conditions.

Even hardware servers that do not use an Operating System still have utilize a software component.

The software component allows the hardware to be programmed and also allows interfacing. Take web servers for example. The software processes page requests, redirects connections, and provides some security.

In short, a server is basically a hardware and software component that performs a primary function for a range of clients.

Answer 3

A server is a computer system that provides services to other computing systems—called clients—over a computer network. The term server can refer to hardware (such as a Sun computer system) or software (such as an RDBMS server).ervers occupy a place in computing similar to that occupied by minicomputers in the past, which they have largely replaced. The typical server is a computer system that operates continuously on a network and waits for requests for services from other computers on the network. Many servers are dedicated to this role, but some may also be used simultaneously for other purposes, particularly when the demands placed upon them as servers are modest. For example, in a small office, a large desktop computer may act as both a desktop workstation for one person in the office and as a server for all the other computers in the office. The term 'Server' originates from the word 'Serve', therefore this computer system is mainly serving the whole network that it is connected to in any form, whether by queueing up the printing jobs of several users, to even acting as a file server for applications that online terminals could access. The name 'Server' is another term given to 'Host computers'.

Servers today are physically similar to most other general-purpose computers, although their hardware configurations may be particularly optimized to fit their server roles, if they are dedicated to that role. Many use hardware identical or nearly identical to that found in standard desktop PCs. However, servers run software that is often very different from that used on desktop computers and workstations.

Servers should not be confused with mainframes, which are very large computers that centralize certain information-processing activities in large organizations and may or may not act as servers in addition to their other activities. Many large organizations have both mainframes and servers, although servers usually are smaller and much more numerous and decentralized than mainframes.

Servers frequently host hardware resources that they make available on a controlled and shared basis to client computers, such as printers (print servers) and file systems (file servers). This sharing permits better access control (and thus better security) and can reduce costs by reducing duplication of hardware.

Answer 4

Sheez... anybody can copy and paste a dictionary answer...

"Server" is a term used pretty loosely, and the line between server and client is pretty blurred today. In short, any computer that offers services to another computer (whether it's file sharing, printer sharing, programs, e-mail, whatever) can be called a server. Typically servers have hardware and software designed to fulfill this server role; whether it's to host your e-mail, provide a network-based database, run your domain, etc. But, any system that provides services to another, even if it's as simple as sharing a printer, is technically a "server".

Answer 5

Servers occupy a place in computing similar to that occupied by minicomputers in the past, which they have largely replaced. The typical server is a computer system that operates continuously on a network and waits for requests for services from other computers on the network. Many servers are dedicated to this role, but some may also be used simultaneously for other purposes, particularly when the demands placed upon them as servers are modest. For example, in a small office, a large desktop computer may act as both a desktop workstation for one person in the office and as a server for all the other computers in the office. The term 'Server' originates from the word 'Serve', therefore this computer system is mainly serving the whole network that it is connected to in any form, whether by queueing up the printing jobs of several users, to even acting as a file server for applications that online terminals could access. The name 'Server' is another term given to 'Host computers'.

Servers today are physically similar to most other general-purpose computers, although their hardware configurations may be particularly optimized to fit their server roles, if they are dedicated to that role. Many use hardware identical or nearly identical to that found in standard desktop PCs. However, servers run software that is often very different from that used on desktop computers and workstations.

Servers should not be confused with mainframes, which are very large computers that centralize certain information-processing activities in large organizations and may or may not act as servers in addition to their other activities. Many large organizations have both mainframes and servers, although servers usually are smaller and much more numerous and decentralized than mainframes.

Servers frequently host hardware resources that they make available on a controlled and shared basis to client computers, such as printers (print servers) and file systems (file servers). This sharing permits better access control (and thus better security) and can reduce costs by reducing duplication of hardware.

Answer 6

Simply, a server is an un-manned computer that stores information to be disseminated at request of another computer.

When you request a web site to be displayed on your computer; your computer sends out the address of the web site and it finds it's way to the server that holds that particular web site and it fills your request and sends it to your computer. This happens at the speed of light or close to it.

Answer 7

When you type a Web site address into your browser, Web servers are doing the work of getting you the page you request and deliver them to your computer.

Answer 8

A server is a computer that is used to share files, programs, printing, and other services between multiple computers. They are normally used in commercial sites with dozens of computers attached. Allows one location from which to store data for easy backup (only one computer to backup, not 100), manage programs and printing, and adminster rights.

Answer 9

A server serves. A client requests.

Answer 10

in simple words server is nothing but it acts as a heart for the other computers in a network where you can give commands and restrict other computer from using certain stuff in them or serve some datas from the mainframe.