Server Types & operating system
Different servers do different jobs, from serving email and video to protecting internal networks and hosting Web sites. Learn about the many types of servers used today.
Servers are often dedicated, meaning that they perform no other tasks besides their server tasks. This list categorizes the many different types of servers used in the marketplace today.
Server Types
Proxy Server
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A proxy server sits between a client program (typically a Web browser) and an external server (typically another server on the Web) to filter requests, improve performance, and share connections.
Mail Server
Almost as ubiquitous and crucial as Web servers, mail servers move and store mail over corporate networks (via LANs and WANs) and across the Internet.
Server Platforms
A term often used synonymously with operating system, a platform is the underlying hardware or software for a system and is thus the engine that drives the server.
Web Server
Web servers are computers that deliver (serves up) Web pages. Every Web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the URL http://www.pcwebopedia.com/index.html in your browser, this sends a request to the Web server whose domain name is pcwebopedia.com. The server then fetches the page named index.html and sends it to your browser.
Any computer can be turned into a Web server by installing server software and connecting the machine to the Internet. There are many Web server software applications, including public domain software from NCSA and Apache, and commercial packages from Microsoft, Netscape and others.
At its core, a Web server serves static content to a Web browser by loading a file from a disk and serving it across the network to a user's Web browser. This entire exchange is mediated by the browser and server talking to each other using HTTP.
Application Server
Sometimes referred to as a type of middleware, application servers occupy a large chunk of computing territory between database servers and the end user, and they often connect the two.
Real-Time Communication Server
Real-time communication servers, formerly known as chat servers or IRC Servers, and still sometimes referred to as instant messaging (IM) servers, enable large numbers users to exchange information near instantaneously.
FTP Server
One of the oldest of the Internet services, File Transfer Protocol makes it possible to move one or more files securely between computers while providing file security and organization as well as transfer control.
Collaboration Server
In many ways, collaboration software, once called 'groupware,' demonstrates the original power of the Web. Collaboration software designed to enable users to collaborate, regardless of location, via the Internet or a corporate intranet and to work together in a virtual atmosphere.
List Server
List servers offer a way to better manage mailing lists, whether they be interactive discussions open to the public or one-way lists that deliver announcements, newsletters or advertising.
Telnet Server
A Telnet server enables users to log on to a host computer and perform tasks as if they're working on the remote computer itself.
Open Source Server
From your underlying open source server operating system to the server software that help you get your job done, open source software is a critical part of many IT infrastructures.
Virtual Server
In 2009, the number of virtual servers deployed exceeded the number of physical servers. Today, server virtualization has become near ubiquitous in the data center. From hypervisors to hybrid clouds, ServerWatch looks at the latest virtualization technology trends.
HTTP - HyperText Transfer Protocol
Short for HyperText Transfer Protocol, HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web. HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, this actually sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the requested Web page.
The other main standard that controls how the World Wide Web works is HTML, which covers how Web pages are formatted and displayed.
HTTP: A Stateless Protocol
HTTP is called a stateless protocol because each command is executed independently, without any knowledge of the commands that came before it. This is the main reason that it is difficult to implement Web sites that react intelligently to user input. This shortcoming of HTTP is being addressed in a number of new technologies, including ActiveX, Java, JavaScript and cookies.
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HTTP Status Codes
Errors on the Internet can be quite frustrating — especially if you do not know the difference between a 404 error and a 502 error. These error messages, also called HTTP status codes are response codes given by Web servers and help identify the cause of the problem.
For example, "404 File Not Found" is a common HTTP status code. It means the Web server cannot find the file you requested. The file -- the webpage or other document you try to load in your Web browser -- has either been moved or deleted, or you entered the wrong URL or document name.
Knowing the meaning of the HTTP status code can help you figure out what went wrong. On a 404 error, for example, you could look at the URL to see if a word looks misspelled, then correct it and try it again. If that doesn't work backtrack by deleting information between each backslash, until you come to a page on that site that isn't a 404. From there you may be able to find the page you're looking for.
OS - operating system
The operating system is the most important program that runs on a computer. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
For large systems, the operating system has even greater responsibilities and powers. It is like a traffic cop -- it makes sure that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.
server operating system
A server operating system, also called a server OS, is an operating system specifically designed to run on servers, which are specialized computers that operate within a client/server architecture to serve the requests of client computers on the network.
The server operating system, or server OS, is the software layer on top of which other software programs, or applications, can run on the server hardware. Server operating systems help enable and facilitate typical server roles such as Web server, mail server, file server, database server, application server and print server.
Popular server operating systems include Windows Server, Mac OS X Server, and variants of Linux such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
Windows Server 8
Windows Server 8 is the official codename for Microsoft's next generation server operating system and successor to the company's Windows Server 7 OS. Currently available for evaluation as a release candidate download, Windows Server 8 is expected to be officially released later in 2012 in conjunction with the Windows 8 consumer edition. Microsoft also recently reported that the new server OS will carry the official name of Windows Server 2012.
Windows Server 2012 Essentials
Windows Server 2012 Essentials is one of Windows Server 2012's four editions, along with Foundation, Standard and Datacenter. Windows Server 2012 Essentials serves as a $425 replacement for Windows Small Business Server and Windows Home Server, both of which Microsoft will be discontinuing with the release of Windows Server 2012.
Among Windows Server 2012 Essentials' new features are Storage Spaces, File History, Remote Web Access (RWA) and native apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 operating systems. Windows Server 2012 Essentials is expected to become available for purchase on October 26th, 2012.
Ubuntu Server Edition
Using Debian as a foundation, the Ubuntu Server Edition, also called Ubuntu server, offers support for several common configurations, and also simplifies common Linux server deployment processes. Standard Internet services such as e-mail, Web, DNS, file serving and database management can be integrated.
Linux server
A Linux server is a high-powered variant of the Linux open source operating system that's designed to handle the more demanding needs of business applications such as network and system administration, database management and Web services.
Linux servers are frequently selected over other server operating systems for their stability, security and flexibility advantages. Leading Linux server operating systems include CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu Server, Slackware and Gentoo.
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