Welcome

A basic description of a server is a technology solution that "serves" data, print, files, and other resources to multiple computers. Some advanced server solutions also enable you to manage user accounts and passwords, grant or restrict access to shared resources, automatically back up your data, and access business information remotely.

From a hardware perspective, a server is simply a computer on your network that is configured to share its resources or run applications for the other computers on the network. You server maybe handle file or database sharing between all of the users on your network, or you can have a server configured to allow all users to share a printer, instead of connecting printers to individual computers.

A computer network that spans a relatively small area is called a Local Area Network (LAN). Most LANs will be confined to a single building or small group of buildings. LANs connect workstations and PCs. Each individual computer in a LAN has its own CPU which can execute programs, but it also is able to access data and devices anywhere on the LAN. This means all users on the LAN can share devices, such as printers, as well as data. Users are also able to use the LAN to communicate with each other by sending e-mail.

A computer network that spans a relatively large area is called a Wide Area Network (WAN) and consists of two or more local area networks. Computers connected to a WAN are usually connected together via public networks, such as telephone systems.