Network Server Definition

A network server is any device that offers services and applications to multiple users. There are many devices that can be called network servers. These devices may include Digital Subscriber Lines or cable modems or it can also be a single computer that shares folders and printers with other computers through a single network.
Servers come in different types. They can be a combination of hardware or software. A computer in itself can be called a server. Server computers can be equipped with extra features to be able to cater to the entire network.
Here are some types of network servers that are used:

1. File Server. The definition of a file computer server is a server that is used in saving different types of files. These files can be word documents and text files, spreadsheets, personal information and also financial data. All the network client computers are able to access the files that are saved on the file server.
2. Web Server. A web server is a computer that deals with the responses from a network client’s requests. The web server responds to these requests by loading web pages, video clips, audio clips and images from different websites. Web servers are able to serve different websites at the same time. The web server can also be called the virtual host, as it can display a lot of websites using the same IP or Internet Protocol address.
3. Print Server. A print server is a computer that is set to do printing jobs for a remote network. The print server is the computer that is connected to the printer. The network is setup in such a way that the print computer is able to do all the printing jobs for every computer. This is possible with the use of Microsoft Network Printing Protocol.Proxy Server. A proxy server is a computer that acts as the median for the client computers that are in a single network and the Internet. The proxy server monitors the client’s requests and forwards them to the web server. The web page is then displayed to the user. The proxy server saves a copy of the web page in a cache. This is done so that if another user requests the same information, it will give the user the web page from the cache.
4. 1. Video Server. A video server is a computer that is used to be able to give services to network clients, such as videos and voice access. Video servers are mostly used in entertainment websites and also for news websites. They are the ones that provide the videos that are viewed by clients worldwide.
   These are some of the types of servers that are used in a network. There are more types of servers that are available, each of them having their own activity. Other types of network servers are FTP or File Transfer Protocol servers and online game servers. Network servers on the Internet are the technology behind voice communication, online gaming, instant messaging and video and audio streaming. 
   
   
   
   

Lakshan Desilva

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