Saturday, October 11, 2008

Server Types

This list, courtesy of serverwatch.com, categorizes the many different
types of servers used in the marketplace today. Click on the server
category you'd like to know more about, and you will be taken directly
to a serverwatch.com page that provides additional information and
resources.

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.
Application Servers
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.
Audio/Video Servers
Audio/Video servers bring multimedia capabilities to Web sites by
enabling them to broadcast streaming multimedia content.
Chat Servers
Chat servers enable a large number of users to exchange information in
an environment similar to Internet newsgroups that offer real-time
discussion capabilities.
Fax Servers
A fax server is an ideal solution for organizations looking to reduce
incoming and outgoing telephone resources but that need to fax actual
documents.
FTP Servers
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.
Groupware Servers
A groupware server is 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.
IRC Servers
An option for those seeking real-time discussion capabilities,
Internet Relay Chat consists of various separate networks (or "nets")
of servers that allow users to connect to each other via an IRC
network.
List Servers
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.
Mail Servers
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.
News Servers
News servers act as a distribution and delivery source for the
thousands of public news groups currently accessible over the USENET
news network.
Proxy Servers
Proxy servers sit 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.
Telnet Servers
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.
Web Servers
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. Also read ServerWatch's
Web Server Basics article.