Q:
Everyone’s always talking about servers. What is a server and what does it mean to me?
A:
A server is basically a service that allows clients (that is you) to be able to use programs within your computer. Servers are run through specialized computers, which are, ironically, also called servers. In other words, a server serves the information needed to a computer that it is connected with, so you can access your programs, files, etc.
There are different types of servers that you may have running through your system. One is a print server. This server works with the computer that the printer is connected to, so when you go to print something, it is all able to work. Another server is a Web server, which you may have heard more about than others. These are needed so we’re able to visit Web sites each day. When we type in a URL, that Web site has to send a request to the Web server so we can then view and browse through it. That’s also an example of how fast these things work for us.
Two more main types of servers are a file server and an e-mail server. The file server is pretty self explanatory, but it works to store the files we save and then deliver them to us when we need them. The e-mail server is what allows us to send e-mail. It sends and receives the e-mails that we write and get back every day.
Servers are very dependable and we can count on them to get us what we need while we’re going through our daily computing. You may have several servers running through your system helping you get your work done, so we definitely have to be thankful for servers!
~ Erin