You must have come across the term server while searching or browsing one of the hosting companies’ websites on the Internet, knowing that it is one of the foundations of hosting companies.
Because of the importance of the server in the field of website hosting and for website owners and because of the above as well, we will explain in this article the following: What is a server and what is a server? In addition to the uses, benefits, and tasks of the server and the types of servers, as well as the components of the server.
We hope you like the article.
- What is a server ?
- Server components ?
- Server specifications
- Uses and types of server
- What is the difference between a server and a data center ?
- How does the server work ?
- What is the importance of the server ?
What is a server ?
Before we start explaining the concept of server, we would like to point out that the terms: Server, Server, Server, all mean the same thing.
The meaning of server is a computer with special, often high specifications, capable of working for very long periods without stopping and connected to the Internet at high speed, all according to the function assigned to it.
What are the components of the server?
We mentioned in the concept of the server that it is a computer device and since it is such, its main components are the main components of the computer, which are:
Which includes the tangible parts of the device such as the processor, RAM, motherboard, hard disk and the rest of the parts that can be touched.
It is the operating system, Windows and Linux, and what it includes.
Server Specifications
As for the server specifications, they are the specifications of its components and their characteristics, and they differ according to the nature of the task or function for which this server was made, as we will discuss later in this article.
Server Types
Types of servers in terms of:
First: Types of servers according to function
Servers can be classified according to the benefits and tasks for which the server was designed into:
It is the server responsible for containing websites and displaying them upon request through the http or https protocol.
DNS server :
It is responsible for translating the IP address of websites into a readable and memorizable name upon request.
It is the server responsible for receiving and sending emails according to the designated protocols such as POP3 and others.
App server :
It is a server dedicated to running specific applications and not others, meaning that it was designed based on the requirements of those applications.
And others, but the above are the most famous.
Second: Types of servers according to the operating system
Servers can be classified according to the operating system installed on them into two popular types:
These are those that run on Linux operating systems such as Debian and CentOS and are the most common because the operating system is free and open source
These are servers that have Windows operating systems installed, such as Windows Server 2012 and others. They are less common because Windows operating systems are not free.
Third: Types of website hosting servers
There are 3 types depending on the resources such as the processor, RAM, bandwidth, etc. They are:
Shared server : It is dedicated to hosting websites that are on shared hosting , which is why it is called that. Shared hosting is recommended for new, small to medium-sized websites.
The best hosting companies are: A2hosting , HostGator , and InterServer .
Virtual Private Server (VPS) : It is a part with specific resources of a complete server and operates without affecting the rest of the virtual servers within the complete server. It is used for medium to large websites. You can review the best VPS server guide .
Dedicated Server : We mean owning a server with all its resources without any of its resources being used by other website owners, so it is yours alone. It is used to host large websites. The best companies that provide full servers are this company , this company, and this company .
Difference between server and data center
We previously talked in a separate article about the data center and what it is. You can review it easily.
The difference between a data center and a server is that the server is part of a data center that contains several servers that work together and are connected together in a specific way.
Note the following two pictures:
How does the server work in web hosting companies?
After you, as an Internet user, type the link to a website you want to visit through the browser, the following happens:
- The browser communicates with the DNS server to find out the IP address associated with that domain over the Internet, so it is necessary to be connected to the Internet, otherwise you will not be able to visit websites.
- The DNS server sends the newly known IP address to the browser.
- The browser connects to the server with that IP address.
- The server containing the site files sends the requested site content to the browser.
- The browser displays the contents of the site exactly as you requested.
Of course, these steps are done very quickly, as we notice when we visit websites, and the speed depends largely on the specifications and performance of the server.
What is the importance of the server?
You may ask what is the purpose of a server? And what is the importance?
The importance of a server dedicated to hosting websites lies in the fact that it operates around the clock and is also connected to the Internet at all times. If it stops working, all the websites hosted on it will stop working.
That is, the server is the home and foundation of the websites on the Internet.
Therefore, if you want to create a website, we advise you to use one of the best hosting companies that guarantee that the servers will remain up and running so that you do not lose any visitors to your websites and ensure that they remain up and running all the time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Servers
A server is a computer with special specifications, as a very brief definition, and for details, the explanation is in the article.
Server specifications are determined by the purpose and function the server is used to perform.
When the server stops, the websites hosted on it stop automatically.
The server can only be judged when the desired function is known and then it can be known whether the server is good or bad.
Here, my dear friends, our article on what is a server? Server definition and types of servers has ended.
But as you know, the field of questions and discussion is open, so write whatever comes to your mind in the comments so that it can be answered and discussed as quickly as possible.