What is a server in simple words, types and purpose

Today it is difficult to imagine a modern enterprise, a large commercial or government organization, a banking system or an industrial complex that would not have its own local computer network. It unites a certain number of computers of corporate users.

The main element of each such network is a server - a device whose name comes from the verb «to serve». Simply put - it is a special powerful computer capable of storing a large amount of information. It provides a full-fledged functioning of a particular information network without direct human participation.

The main functions of the server

The capabilities of the server determine its type and purpose. Among the main useful functions of the server are the following:

• Receiving and transmitting data.
• Storing the content of one or more Internet sites.
• Coordinating the interaction of a set of PCs included in a single network. Game servers are an example of such work.
• Storage of corporate or service information, databases, providing access to them from the computers of the company's employees.

According to the type of tasks, the performance of which is assigned to servers, they are divided into certain types. Let's consider the main ones.

Types of servers

They are determined primarily by their purpose. For example:

• Identity server provides control of user access to the network, corporate or departmental databases, security systems.
• A print server provides a link between several computers in an office and a single printing device. It allows you to print documents from any of them.
• A file server creates a virtual space where users can share various files and documents with each other. In large companies and business offices, a LAN server allows employees at remote workstations to share information and communicate on work-related issues.
• Mail server is used to work with e-mail: for its storage, forwarding and sorting letters, filtering spam. For example, such equipment is used for Gmail.
• Web-server. All Internet users deal with it. In fact, it is a platform on which programs work, or web-sites with mass access to them from the external network.
• Database server contains programs for creating and managing databases.
• Game server provides interaction of participants of one network game like World of Tanks, Counter Strike, DotA or World of Warcraft in multiplayer mode with their simultaneous immersion in the virtual world. Game servers are characterized by increased power, because they have to withstand enormous loads.
• VPN-server allows you to protect personal data of users by encrypting them. In this case, users may well enter the Internet, but will remain within a protected private network. Corporate information will be hidden from the outside observer.
• The proxy server stores the information received from the Internet on a local disk. The next time this information is requested, the proxy server gives it to the user without necessarily going to the Internet, which saves traffic.

There are servers for mining, rendering, scientific research and various cloud technologies. And this is not a complete list of types of servers. They are also used for other, narrower purposes.