Servers

= Servers = toc

[[image:HP_ProLiant_ML370_G4_server_sm.jpg align="left" caption="hp ProLiant ML 370 G4 Storage Server"]]
Knowing the types of servers available and the possible problems as well as the benefits of each type of server, allows LIS professionals to determine the best system for their facility, saving budget money and providing the best and most secure overall system available.

What they are
Web servers provide storage and access to digital files. They can either connect a facility to the internet or they can be solely for within-institution use. They can be dedicated to a single type of file or to a single facility or department within a facility. Web servers provide a proprietary portal to the World-Wide Web. Other servers provide storage, while still others provide storage, plus in-house e-mails and intranet sites for organization use only. Network Attached Storage (NAS) systems allow for intranet connection via ethernet within-house and, sometimes, over a secure connection to remote workers such as volunteers working at home, or facility representatives away from the facility. Old computers are computers that no longer have the capabilities necessary for today's technology and volume of files accessed. These are fully depreciated and are a liability to an organization, unless they can be re-sold or re-fitted with networking capabilities.

How servers can be used
Libraries, academic libraries, digital collections, and archives and records facilities associated with government or business will probably have access to servers in the parent organization. Smaller and independent facilities may pay a web-hosting fee for a presence on the web. At some point, any of these facilities, particularly if they hold a large number of digital images, will consider a server of their own. Which sort of server, its capacity, and its ability to provide direct web access will be issues to consider.

[[image:prineville-facebook__servers-470_sm.jpg align="right" caption="Servers in FaceBook's Pineville, OR, facility"]]What servers can do
Servers have more memory than computers. They have more processing power than an ordinary computer. Servers allow sharing across computers, the implementation of a database, and shared file storage. Web servers can provide a gateway to the internet, a concrete presence unaffected by the fortunes of another entity, the web host. The drawback is that a facility would need in-house or within-organization support to maintain security. In-house serves, which connect workers in a department or organization but are not direct access points to the internet, have a variety of packages for small and moderate-sized businesses offering applications such as e-mail and sharing software. In-house computers, operating an intranet, allow staff working at different desks or, even, in different rooms or sections, to collaborate on shared files. Facilities with computers for patrons' use might consider a server with firewall capabilities. Attractive ads and phishing e-mails can draw inexperienced users to malware sites, putting the facility's internet, or intranet, at risk. As with other web applications, good in-house service or a contracted service plan will be necessary.

Types of servers

 * Application server:** "Middleware," to power games, act as go-between for databases and their users, and for other extensive frameworks.


 * Web server:** Quickly delivers content over the internet. They are made to to provide security through firewalls and incoming request filters.


 * Specialized servers:** Support one function, such as a database, printer, and files. Specialization allows greater speed.


 * Media servers:** Provide high-quality play for games and movies. They are built to maximize data transfer. They are often linked together in a cluster or cloud service to prevent data transfer bit loss.


 * Mail server:** Outbound and inbound service for electronic mail.

**References**
[|Microsoft What a Server Can Do] [|TechSoup Do I Need a Server?] [|JISC infoNet Hardware and Operating Systems (what is needed to run a repository locally)] [|hp Small & Medium Business: When to consider a server - overview] [|About.com: Introduction to NAS - Network Attached Storage] [|LifeHacker: Turn an Old Computer into a Networked Backup, Streaming, or Torrenting Machine with FreeNAS] [|Dedicated Server School: How Many Types of Servers Are There?]

Pictures:
[|Facebook's Pineville Servers] [|HP ProLiant ML 370 G4 Storage Server]