Server Hosting

The term ‘server’ can be applied to many different scenarios involving computers, since there are many different types of server to serve different situations. However, the basic meaning of the term ‘server’ in the computer world is a central computer on a network that is used for one or more specific uses to meet the needs and demands of a business or individual. The common thought is that a server in computer terms has to have a physical existence, when in fact it doesn’t; for example there are virtual servers that are running inside a physical server, but each virtual server doesn’t have any physical existence in practice, but does have a virtual existence on the hard drive of the physical server that it is hosted on.
The term ‘server’ can also be applied to a program that is being run on a physical server to serve a purpose, i.e. a streaming media server would be a program running on a physical server to provide users with multimedia content requested.
Choosing the right kind of server for your situation is vital, for example you don’t have to have setup a mail server when in fact all you need is a file server to store all your company’s emails in one central location that is accessible to all. Another factor that you will want to consider is the operating system that you decide to use on your server; for example, if you are wanting to run a web server that can handle PHP web pages then you will be best suited with a Linux distribution on your server, however if you need to run web pages that have been written using either classic ASP or ASP.NET then your only choice will be the Windows Server 2003 operating system.
If you want to run a streaming media server, then you will be better off with Microsoft Windows since a streaming media server is included for immediate use. You will also need to take into account the level of your server administration skills before choosing an operating system for your server, so that you are able to administrate and carry out the necessary tasks on your server as and when needed instead of having to rely on your web host’s support team.
We will now discuss the different types of server there are, and what their main uses are. This could help you make a decision as to what kind of server you need to use in your situation, since things can become quite confusing because of the many different types there are to choose from.
File Server
A file server can be used in either a corporate or a residental environment where there is more than one networked computer, and maybe where certain files need to be accessible on all the networked computers. A file server is normally used to allow users to access certain files from all the computers on one network, but can be also used to allow users to share files between each other without the need for any sort of external storage, i.e. a memory stick. Setting up a file server program on Windows or Linux is an easy job, although it is made slightly easier on Windows since there is no third-party programs required since all the necessary components are installed as standard.

The firs thing to do to enable your Windows server to be a file server is to share the folder that you want to be accessible to all the computers on your network. This is a simple task since all you need to do is ‘right-click’ on the folder concerned and select ‘Share’. The ‘Share a Folder Wizard’ should then launch.
All you need to do then is ensure that the ‘File Server Manager’ is installed, from which you can manage any folders that you have shared and view who is connected to them.

It is a slightly more complicated job with Linux though, since there are a couple of third-party applications that will need installing on your server before you are able to use it as a proper file server. These applications are SAMBA and Rdesktop, since by default your Linux file server will be unable to communicate with Micrsoft Windows servers and computers to share folders and files that are hosted on it.
Virtual Server
A virtual server (also known as a VPS in the hosting industry) has no physical existence, but acts in more or less the same way as a physical version of itself would. A virtual server is normally hosted on a physical server with a number of other virtual server, which all have their own share of the physical server’s resources. Virtual servers can be created to run both Microsoft Windows and Linux, meaning that you can create a virtual server for more or less any situation.
There is a free virtualization application for Linux called ‘OpenVZ’ that allows you to create virtual Linux servers on your physical Linux server. Although OpenVZ doesn’t come with a control panel, there is a third party control panel available for it known as ‘HyperVM’.

For a more scalable solution which is used by larger companies and allows you to create virtual Windows and Linux servers, there’s a premium program known as ‘Virtuozzo’. This means that you can have one control panel to control both your Linux and Windows virtual servers. Virtuozzo comes with a control panel known as the ‘Virtuozzo Power Panel’ (VZPP for short).

Web Server
A web server is used to service web pages to those who request them using the HTTP protocol, which by default runs on port 80. Without a Web Server, web pages can’t be served to web browsers since the HTTP protocol needs to be installed to aid this. Web servers are available for both Windows and Linux, meaning that if you are using either operating system, you will always be able to serve your web pages using the HTTP protocol.
For Windows, you can use the IIS web server which is included as default with any Windows Server installation and is the only web server that is able to run classic ASP and ASP.NET web pages since they are both Microsoft technologies. Apache, currently the most popular web server in the world, is available for both Linux and Windows and can be used to serve PHP and other server-side pages.

A web server can also be used to serve static pages written using the standard HTML programming language. Both Apache and IIS are modifiable so that you can make them run more programming languages than they do currently.
Email Server
An email server is used to send and receive email for a domain or domains. Email servers are normally involved in the routing of an email message to ensure that it reaches its right destination, and doesn’t get bounced back because it has been delivered ton the wrong server. Email servers are available for both Linux and Windows, meaning that whatever your choice of operating system, you will still be able to use your server as an email server. Nearly almost all email servers support the use of the POP3 and IMAP protocols to allow users to retrieve their email from a server, as well as the SMTP protocol to allow users to use the server concerned to send email.

Examples of email servers include Hmail and Microsoft Exchange Server for Windows, and Postfix and Sendmail for Linux.
Database Server
A database is normally the central store of some sort of data so that you can access it from any location. In most cases databases are used to store information for a website so that it can be accessed from any of the website’s pages using an SQL query in the case that a server side scripting language has been used to build the page. Database servers are available for both Windows and Linux, meaning that you can use either operating system and be able to run server-side scripts that can access databases.
The most popular database system for Microsoft Windows is Microsoft SQL Server which can be used alongside classic ASP and ASP.NET scripts. The most popular database system for Linux is MySQL, which is a free database server; MySQL can be used by PHP and other server side languages to access and store data. MySQL is also available on Windows, meaning that it can also be used with classic ASP and ASP.NET scripts to access and store data in one central location.

Terminal Server/Services
Terminal Server/Services is a Microsoft program built in to both client and server editions of Microsoft Windows with the main aim of allowing users to access computers running Microsoft Windows remotely. The Windows Remote Desktop Client, which is included with more or less every Windows installation, is the client program that is used to access terminal servers and computers since the remote user is presented with the graphical user interface of the remote computer that they are conected to, allowing them to interact with the computer or server much in the same way they would if they were sitting at the console.

To be continued…