What is a server?
| F.A.Q. • Support • NewsWhat is a server?
A server is a computer, but it differs significantly from a personal computer. It is an enterprise-class computer designed to provide specialized functions and services to users over the internet. Users who connect to servers via their personal computers or mobile devices access tools and resources that would otherwise be inaccessible.
As servers are an integral part of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, they are often placed in dedicated server rooms or data centers designed to ensure optimal performance and high availability. The proliferation of servers has paved the way for other advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Edge Computing, and many others. In short, servers are driving the revolution in our daily lives.
Why do you need it?
Servers are used because no single computer can fulfill every role and perform all functions. Through a process known as request-response, users can "request" various services from servers on the internet. This can include checking email, streaming video, ordering a taxi, or something more complex, like reading a vehicle's license plate through computer vision (CCTV) and charging the owner a fee. Servers compile data and perform computations necessary to respond to the request. Every minute, every day, servers perform these actions for millions of users.
As servers take on more tasks for us, the types of servers have become more diverse. Just to name a few examples, servers used for scientific research may be equipped with powerful Central Processing Units (CPU) and Graphics Processing Units (GPU) to enable high-performance computing (HPC); a media server may provide large mass storage capacity and network bandwidth to store and stream a vast library of content; an edge server deployed on the network edge may require packing significant computing power into a small form factor while maintaining smooth and reliable operation. Because of this, buyers carefully select the specific features of a server suitable for a particular task. They pay attention to the types of processors inside servers, the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) of those processors, the peripheral cooling system supporting the servers, etc. The market is filled with a wide range of server solutions for operators to choose from.
Summary
There is no one-size-fits-all configuration for all types of servers and their tasks. Since servers are meant to serve specific purposes in the IT infrastructure, it is crucial to find the perfect server for each task. ITCare Paweł Staszewski company will gladly assist in selecting the appropriate hardware configuration.