Server is a central computer that provides processing services or data to an interconnected group of computers. A server acts as the core of a client-server network. The other computers, called clients, are connected to the server by communications cables. Client-server networks enable users to share information and resources easily. The clients and the server share the computer work, but there are several ways of distributing these tasks.
In most client-server networks, the server performs three main functions: (1) It stores and provides access to files that everyone on the network uses. (2) It coordinates communication between the client computers. (3) It controls shared resources, such as printers.
Both the clients and the server are capable of performing computing tasks. In some cases, the clients do all of their own computing. In others, the server takes responsibility for some of the computing. For example, if the organization has a central database on the server, the server might perform the computing necessary to manage and access the database. See Distributed computing for more information on how computer networks share computing tasks.
