Computer Server: Functions, Components, and How It Works

In this digital era, the word ‘server’ is certainly no stranger. Almost every aspect of technology we use daily, from playing online games, searching for information on the internet, to sending emails, all involve computer servers. Of course, server monitoring is also needed periodically. Here is more detailed information about the computer server.

What is a Computer Server?

A computer server is an advanced machine designed to compute, store, and manage data, devices, and systems over a network. This advanced computer system provides resources for network units to deliver specialized services such as displaying web pages and sending or receiving emails. In addition, there are many more uses for servers.

Computer hardware or software, even virtual machines with software capabilities, can act as servers. But, the functionality of a server goes beyond that of a traditional computer. Servers are capable of handling complex processes, from managing multiple user requests per second to setting up drives that can be shared with devices on the network.

The server responds to user requests with a client-server model. With this model, the host device that powers the network device is referred to as the host-server, and the device within the network that utilizes the resources offered by the host device is called the client.

Server Function

The server functions as the heart of the network, tasked with serving the needs of client devices. The server has many crucial functions that make it the backbone of information technology operations. Here are some of the most common functions of a server:

1. Serving Client Computer Requests

The server is designed to serve various requests from client devices. For example, when we access a website, the web server will receive a request from our browser and process it, then send the requested web page data. This is the basic role of the server as a provider of the services needed by the client.

2. Storing Data or Information

The server functions as a data storage center. Various companies or individuals use it to store documents, databases, and other important information. The use of servers in a network is to enable users to access data in real-time without having to store it on client devices.

3. Providing a Database to Run

The server is also responsible for providing a database that can be accessed and managed by clients. The database server is responsible for storing, organizing, and managing data in a structured format. Then this data can be accessed by applications or users within the network.

4. Managing Data Transfer Traffic

In a large-scale network, servers play a role in regulating and managing data traffic. The server is responsible for ensuring that data or documents sent from one device to another arrive correctly and efficiently. For example, when we download a document from the internet, the server will send the data to our computer through the network.

5. Protecting Against Cyber Attacks

Lastly, servers are also capable of maintaining increasingly important security. Many servers are equipped with security features, such as firewalls and data encryption, to protect them from cyber threats like hacking or other cyber attacks. Servers are capable of maintaining data security and integrity, both for stored data and data transferred to devices.

Main Components of a Computer Server

A computer server consists of several basic elements that can execute code, send or receive data, and store it for both short and long periods. Although these components are also found in laptops, phones, and modern IoT devices, they tend to be more advanced in servers. Here are the 4 main components of a server:

1. Processor

The processor or CPU is the main component of every server. The processor acts as the brain of the server system. Advanced computer servers are now equipped with advanced processors, featuring multiple cores to execute thousands of instructions simultaneously.

2. RAM

RAM is a short-term memory unit that stores working data and machine code. The processor requires RAM to read and write data at higher speeds. Because the server operates on multiple instructions, retrieving data from RAM will save more time than retrieving data from the hard drive.

In addition, when the processor executes a computer program, the program is usually located in the main memory (RAM). The performance of the memory can ultimately determine the execution speed of the computer server.

3. Storage

Servers use storage components to store various files necessary for executing machine code, including operating system files, databases, application data, and much more. On the server side, traditional hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) are used to store data.

The choice of storage elements depends on the needs and requirements of each device. For example, a database server must be able to read and write data faster than a file archive server, which does not require high speed.

It is also important to consider that a single storage device can negatively affect performance. For example, when a storage component fails, all websites hosted by the web server will definitely go down. As a result, the user experience becomes poor.

Therefore, most servers use Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) to address this issue and improve fault tolerance. RAID is a series of independent disks that provide better storage performance and data redundancy than other single storage components.

4. Bandwith

The server processes user requests and sends content over the internet or a combination of networks, such as WAN and LAN. It is undeniable that servers have higher bandwidth, allowing them to serve many clients and respond to client needs in a timely manner.

How a Server Works

When a user enters a website URL into a search engine, several servers are already waiting to provide the requested information. The process is divided into 3 parts:

1. Protocol

The first part is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP or HTTPS), which serves as a communication pathway for servers and search engines to communicate with each other. Search engines send a domain name request to the DNS server.

2. Server Name

The second part of the URL is related to the server name. Here, the Domain Name Server (DNS) translates the domain name into the IP address of the server hosting the requested website. The DNS server identifies the IP address associated with the requested domain.

3. File Name

The final section summarizes the files that include HTML, CSS, fonts, images, graphics, and many other elements that make up the requested website. After receiving the IP address, the search engine forwards the user’s request to the target server.

The function of computer servers is very important in the digital era. To ensure its performance remains reliable, high-quality server monitoring is certainly needed. Netmonk offers this service, which is already used by various large companies in the country. Visit the Netmonk website for complete information for better server performance!