What is a server?
A server is a program or an entire computing machine on which data records, functions, resources or service programs are made available via a network. The structure of the server is also known as the client-server model There are two main server models, which are differentiated between. Software servers are servers where clients can access a specific service via a network. The communication used is based on the client-server model. Service-specific transmission protocols are used to exchange data. In addition to software servers, there are also hardware servers. A hardware server differs from a software server and is like a computer, a stand-alone computing machine. Several servers are usually run on the hardware server and an operating system can also be installed on the computer network. A hardware server is often also referred to as a host.
How does a server work?
The functionality of a server is handled via the client-server model. Tasks can be distributed and called up or used as required. All programs and applications are also provided on an always-on server. This ensures that services remain accessible at all times via the browser or the e-mail program, for example.
Which servers are available?
In addition to the division of software and hardware servers, there are also other specifications for server types. The best-known servers include the web server, file server, mail server and database server.
What is a web server?
Websites are usually stored on a web server and made visible to visitors or search engine crawlers and browsers. Communication between server and client takes place via HTTPS. As a rule, a web server displays HTML documents and other elements such as images or scripts.
What is a file server?
A file server is a kind of central storage location for different file types. The aim is to give several clients access to selected data via a network. Companies rely on such file servers to make templates, documents or other files available to employees and partners.
What is a mail server?
A mail server guarantees the receiving, reading, processing and sending of emails. This server consists of different software modules that communicate with each other. The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is usually used for this server. If a user wants to access a specific server and receive and read emails, a so-called mail client is required. Data is saved or restored using IMAP or POP.
What is a database server?
A database server has the task of enabling access to various database systems. Database servers often use software applications such as Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL and MySQL. In order for database servers to work properly, web servers are usually required for storage.
What is server hosting?
For medium-sized and large companies, it can be worth hosting and setting up servers yourself. This allows them to benefit from full control, better performance and lower prices. However, if a freelancer or entrepreneur is still at the beginning of their career, it may be worth renting a server from a web host. Here, a small amount of storage space can be rented for a very low price, even for smaller websites.
