server is the essential thing for the world: part 3

Key Features of Servers

Servers play a crucial role in organizations as they boost the functionality of a network by providing benefits like scalability, efficiency, and business continuity to enterprise networks. Although servers are essential for all businesses, here are some of their core features.

1. Scalability

As companies grow, the need for additional machinery, increased disk space, enhanced speed, and improved remote access control continues to rise in the networking environment. Nevertheless, it is important to highlight that these system requirements must be fulfilled without replacing older machines. This guarantees seamless business operations even during the process of updating the client-server architecture.

2. High processing power

In the client-server framework, servers contribute significant processing power to the clients, thereby enhancing the overall compute resources. Consequently, networks are capable of efficiently managing a growing number of tasks without any adverse effect on performance.

3. Reliability

Servers play a crucial role in maintaining uninterrupted and online operations for essential computing systems, thereby minimizing downtime for businesses. The failure of any network device or component can have a significant impact on the company's operations. However, in a client-server setup, multiple devices are interconnected within a network, allowing backup devices to seamlessly take over the tasks of failed components. This arrangement ensures uninterrupted network connectivity.

4. Better collaboration

Unlike standalone systems, servers drive collaboration because professionals and computers can easily access shared network resources, computer programs, and devices.

5. Cost savings

Servers efficiently handle a significant amount of network workload, leading to decreased stress on individual network devices. Consequently, these devices consistently deliver optimal performance with minimal maintenance requirements, ultimately helping companies save on unnecessary expenses.

6. Safeguard from cyberattacks

Servers are crucial in safeguarding network devices or websites against external attacks. Each data request from a client undergoes IP address verification to confirm its legitimacy. If any suspicious activity is detected, like malware or DDoS attacks, the server can reject the request and block the client's IP address for security purposes.

These unique functions set servers apart from their traditional roles of handling user requests, data storage, database provision for computational tasks, and file transfer management. Consequently, the demand for server architecture has surged globally in recent times.

 Examples of server operating systems

Microsoft Windows servers

It could be argued that Windows for Workgroups was Microsoft's initial server operating system, as certain computers in that version could be configured to share resources and handle client requests, effectively making them servers. However, Windows NT marked Microsoft's true entry into the server operating system market. Versions 3.5 and 3.51 of Windows NT were widely used in business networks until the introduction of the Windows Server line, which remains in use today. The latest iteration of Windows Server is Windows Server 2016, boasting support for a wide range of applications and databases, along with a hypervisor for virtual servers.

Linux / Unix servers

Linux/Unix is another significant contender in the realm of server operating systems. Various iterations and variations of Linux/Unix exist, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Debian, and CentOS. Due to its open-source nature, Linux is widely favored as a web server, frequently paired with the Apache web application server.

NetWare

NetWare, even though it is no longer in production, was a prominent figure in the server software sector as the client-server era gained momentum. Subsequently, NetWare shifted its server operating system to a Linux-based kernel and rechristened it as Novell Open Enterprise Server (OES).

Cloud servers

cloud servers are virtual servers that are hosted on a third-party infrastructure on the Internet. There are several providers of cloud servers available today, such as Google's Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and IBM Cloud. However, Amazon's AWS platform was the first to pioneer corporate cloud computing. Initially, AWS utilized spare capacity from Amazon's servers and networks, but now it allows customers to create virtual servers instantly and adjust the server's resource usage on the go. Nowadays, a server can simply be the data of physical hardware comprising multiple processors, disk drives, memory, and network connections. Nevertheless, a server remains a system that responds to client requests.

sources:

1. Key Features of Servers

2. Examples of server operating systems