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Ch.12.3 Helpdesk: Using Servers Study Review
Server Basics - -Servers are the
workhorses of the client/server network. The
number and types of servers used depends on
the network's size and workload. Small networks
need just one server to handle all server
functions, such as file storage, delivery of
applications to the clients, printing, and so on.
As users are added to a network, dedicated
servers are added to take the load off the main
server. Each dedicated server fulfills one specific
function (such as handling e-mail). When
dedicated servers are used, the main server
becomes an authentication server and/or a file
server.
Application Servers - -In many networks,
all users run the same application software (such
as Microsoft Office) on their computers. Installing
application software on each individual computer
is time consuming. An application server acts as
a repository for application software.
When a client computer connects to the network
and requests an application, the application
server delivers the software to the client
computer.
By having the application software reside on the
application server instead of individual client
computers, installation and upgrading is much
easier: the application needs to be installed or
upgraded only on the application server, not on
each network client.
Print Servers - -Setting up a print server to
manage printing for all printers on a network is
helpful in companies where networks users do a
lot of printing. This is because when you have a
print server and you tell your computer to print a
document, it passes off the task to the print
server. This frees the CPU on your computer to
do other jobs.
When you tell your computer to print, the print
server receives this printing request (or job) and
puts the job into a print queue on the print server.
Print servers manage the print queue and can
prioritize what gets printed first according to
users or types of print jobs.
Database Servers - -Another type of server
often found in large corporate networks is a
database server. Database servers provide client
computers with access to information stored in a
database. Often, many people need to access
databases at the same time, which can be done
with the help of a database server.
E-mail Servers - -The sole function of an e-
mail server is to process and deliver incoming
and outgoing e-mail.
On a network with an e-mail server, when you
send an e-mail from your computer, it goes to the
e-mail server, which then handles the routing and
delivery of your message.
Although a 20-person network might not need a
dedicated e-mail server (unless the volume of e-
mail was extremely high), as more users are
added to the network, adding an e-mail server
would increase network efficiency.
Communications Servers - -A
communications server handles all
communications between a network and other
networks, including Internet connectivity. All
requests and messages sent to and from the
Internet pass through this server.
Often, the communications server is the only
device on the network connected to the Internet.
E-mail servers and other devices needing to
communicate with the Internet usually route their
traffic through the communications server. This
