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Minasi c01.tex V3 - 05/29/2008 9:45pm Page 5
WHAT’S THE POINT OF NETWORKS AND NETWORKING? 5
Other Types of Servers
I’ll tend to use the Web client-server example for this discussion. But I don’t want to lose sight
of the fact that there are quite a few client-server systems, besides Web servers, that are in com-
mon use and that you may want to use 2008 to create. Returning to the theme of this chapter,
then — ‘‘Why do I care or why do I need this stuff?’’ — networks offer several valuable services,
and you may want to set up a computer to act as a server and offer some of those services. Here
are a few besides the Web server example:
File Servers File servers act as central places to store data files. Why put them on a server
rather than just keep them on your local computer? Well, in some cases someone else cre-
ated the file, and placing a file on a central server is a simple way to make the files available to
others. The other good thing about storing files in a central location is that they’re more easily
backed up that way. Server 2008 comes with file server software built in.
Print Servers Print servers let you share printers. Not everyone wants to put a printer on
their desk, and besides, if you share the printers, you can afford more expensive (and presum-
ably better) models. Server 2008 comes with print server software built in.
Application Servers Application servers provide a method for sharing an application across
the Internet. In addition, you can distribute pieces of the application so that you can use multi-
ple servers to provide a complete solution. Windows Server 2008 provides the software
required to create an application server and manage the applications it hosts from a central
location. This is a new feature for Windows Server 2008.
E-mail Servers Mail servers are essential if you’re going to do e-mail. Some computer (or
computers) must act as the post office, collecting e-mail from the local users and sending it
to other mail servers across the Internet and acting as a receiving point for other mail servers to
send mail destined for your organization. You can outsource this function by letting your ISP
act as your mail server, but running your own mail server gives you more flexibility. (How-
ever, it does require a persistent connection to the Internet.) 2008’s new features include a basic
e-mail server. Yes, it’s ‘‘basic’’ because Microsoft really wants to sell you Exchange as your mail
server. But it’s not a bad server for many people’s needs.
Terminal Servers A terminal server harks back to the days of mainframes (think about the
huge computers you may have seen in older movies — a mainframe is a single large computer
used to serve a number of people). Someone using a terminal would log into the mainframe
from a remote location to access the features that the mainframe provides. Modern users rely
on this feature to access the server from a remote location using less capable devices. Some
companies use this service to save money. Administrators rely on this feature to manage the
server. Using a terminal server application called Remote Desktop means you don’t have to
walk to the server to perform administration tasks.
Group Scheduling Servers The centralized nature of servers means that they’re a great
place to keep track of scarce resources like meeting rooms or your time. Server 2008 does not
come with a scheduling server, because Microsoft wants to sell you Exchange to do that sort
of thing. But there are alternatives to Exchange; there are some terrific Web-based scheduling
tools that work great on 2008 — for one example, take a look at www.mattkruse.com/scripts
/calendar/ or other tools, such as Lotus Notes.
SharePoint Servers A SharePoint server lets users collaborate with other users, even when
they aren’t physically located in the same place. Users from England, the United States, and
Japan could work on documents together as if they were all located in the same place.