Servers are everywhere and yet you never really see them. They live in places called data centres, and unless you are an IT professional, you will probably never see the inside of one.
However, you probably deal with servers every day. And if you work with an IT team that throws around the work often, you may be wondering “What does a server do?” and “How does a server affect me?”. They are used for many functions across the web, everything from serving ads to storing emails. In this article, we will cover the basics of what a server is and the seven most common types of server you encounter.
What is a Server?
In simple terms, a server is a computer on steroids. It is a powerful computer that stores, sends, and receives data. Servers do a lot of work so they have big components, like a lot of RAM, and would be completely different from the computer you use for personal or work use.
For example, if you want to find a video on YouTube:
- You will first enter a search term in the search bar;
- That term is sent to the YouTube server where all its data and videos are stored;
- The server finds the videos that relate to your search term;
- The server “serves” you those videos on its results page.
Seven Most Common Types of Server
Servers are used for a lot of helpful functions that we depend on daily. Everything from internet browsing, to streaming your favourite Netflix series – it all needs a server to happen. Some of the most common types of server, that you may make use of frequently include:
- Web Server
If you have ever used the internet, you have used a web server. Web servers are the servers that run on websites. When you type in a URL on your browser, this sends a request to a web server, which then responds by sending back the data (webpage) associated with that URL. They are one of the most common types of servers with over 75 million worldwide.
Without web servers, you would not be able to do the most basic things on the internet, from updating your Facebook status, to checking the weather.
- Email Server
Email servers allow you to send and receive emails, as well as store all data related to your account, such as saved emails in your inbox.
Email works as a virtual post office. When you send an email to someone, the email server first accesses the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and determines the address of the person you are sending your email to. It then sends them the email.
- Ad Server
Whenever you see an ad on a website, it is being displayed to you through an ad server. Ad server’s overall concept is complicated, however, in simple terms, an ad server hosts information about ads. When you click on a webpage or app for a publisher that is connected to the ad server, it delivers the ads to you, as the page or app loads.
This is similar to how a web server stores all data about a website and shows relevant pages to the end user. Ad servers place ads in the display of the right ad, to the right person, at the right time.
- Database Server
Database servers act as a warehouse. Information about a company and its website are stored on a database server. The database server will hold a management system and all the data it stores.
You put in a request for data and the management system searches the database for the records you are looking for and then passes them back to you over the network.
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- FTP Server
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. You have most likely come across the term FTP in relation to hosting your website. An FTP is what makes uploading and downloading files online simple and fast. A user visiting your website can quickly download resources and data from your host server using FTP.
- Proxy Server
Proxy servers are commonly used for privacy. They create a gateway between you, the user, and the internet.
When you connect to the internet you use an IP address. This is similar to a home address and identifies where in the world you are located. When you are connected to a proxy server, this is essentially connecting to another computer on the internet that has its own IP address and this server then fires off the request to the end server for you and relays the data back to your computer.
With the increased concerns over privacy for internet users, proxy servers are becoming more common, with 17.4% of North Americans now using a VPN.
Read also: Use VPN to Reduce Mobile Cyber Risks
- Streaming Server
Have you ever streamed a TV show on Netflix? Or Amazon Prime? Or Hulu? Or any one of the hundreds of streaming platforms out there? If the answer is yes, you have been making use of a streaming server.
Streaming servers are extremely important for many internet users. Many do not have the capacity to download huge multimedia files, such as an entire series of a show on Netflix. A streaming server allows the information in a multimedia file to be presented to internet users in one steady stream without having to download a heavy file.
To Sum Up
In the digital age, we are completely dependent on servers. They provide all kinds of helpful functions and fill various needs. From providing privacy to storing and serving websites, servers are an essential part of the online world. There are many types of servers that you likely interact with on a daily basis. Understanding what they are and what they are used for can help you have more productive conversations with your IT team, and a better understanding of the tools you are using daily.
