Network servers are dedicated computers connected to a network that run software intended to process client requests and provide appropriate responses. The server can more specifically relate to the software itself, but a network server tends to incorporate the physical system this software runs upon. This is usually a dedicated computer platform and can also be referred to as the server.

 

Network servers operate under a paradigm called client-server architecture. This allows clients to share resources like storage and network access. It also allows clients to share access to network application software, license management associated with such applications and security applications like anti-virus protection, firewalls and backup facilities. Such interaction is carried out on an IP networking structure with traffic managed network sockets connecting processes controlled by socket application programming interfaces (APIs). 

 

Servers offer services to private users on the local networks. They also offer services to public users outside the organization. Typical services that are provided by network servers include applications like databases, print servers, web servers and gaming servers. Personal computers can also act as a network server – but will have a very low performance and will be unlikely for most applications that such a computer would be suitable. Network servers usually have characteristics like always being on, having redundancy (in case of failure), huge secure and redundant hard drive capacity (RAID Arrays), and can be on uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Servers also have reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) expectations that personal computers do not. Server operating systems run programs continually in the background (possibly in a sleep state) to process system chores pertaining to all manner of services.  These programs are called daemons.

 

Servers can require high performance for processing the requests of many users on a network concurrently. They may be rack based with a single monitor switched between them on the times access is required.  In many cases, network servers do not have a monitor at all. Hot-swappable components of the system are essential to reduce network downtime when failure or changes occur. An IT specialist referred to as the system administrator usually manages the components. Temperature management and noise can be a large problem in network server rooms, and extra sound insulation and air conditioning may be a requirement.