Hello, all:

I'm new to the world of System Administration. I'm a student and I am
learning alot about Unix, sys admin, etc. Now, I hear alot about certain
kinds of servers that seem to be self-contained in it's own box. Can someone
explain to me what is a server; i.e., servers from Sun, entry-level,
high-end servers, and so on. What is the purpose of these boxes that are
called servers? Thanks.

"CJT" <cheljuba@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:3F491ABF.4000604@prodigy.net...
> Dominick DiMantova wrote:
>
> > Hello, all:
> >
> > I'm new to the world of System Administration. I'm a student and I am
> > learning alot about Unix, sys admin, etc. Now, I hear alot about certain
> > kinds of servers that seem to be self-contained in it's own box. Can
someone
> > explain to me what is a server; i.e., servers from Sun, entry-level,
> > high-end servers, and so on. What is the purpose of these boxes that are
> > called servers? Thanks.
> >
> >
> >
>
> I'll start things going.
>
> I think the line can be somewhat fuzzy, but a server is generally a
> shared computing resource, as opposed to desktops and other "personal"
> devices intended for use by single individuals (at least at any
> particular time).
>
> There are print servers, file servers, application servers, web
> servers, database servers, video servers, compute servers, terminal
> servers, boot servers, jumpstart servers, dns servers, dhcp servers,
> news servers, etc. with variations limited only by the imagination of
> system architects.
>
> X-servers are another beast entirely.
>

Thanks for the answer. I know of companies, like Sun or whatever that sells
servers of different types: entry-level, midrange and high-end range. Are
these servers simply boxes that contain many CPU's, main boards, etc.?

Dominick DiMantova wrote:

> "CJT" <cheljuba@prodigy.net> wrote in message
> news:3F491ABF.4000604@prodigy.net...
>
>>Dominick DiMantova wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hello, all:
>>>
>>>I'm new to the world of System Administration. I'm a student and I am
>>>learning alot about Unix, sys admin, etc. Now, I hear alot about certain
>>>kinds of servers that seem to be self-contained in it's own box. Can
>
> someone
>
>>>explain to me what is a server; i.e., servers from Sun, entry-level,
>>>high-end servers, and so on. What is the purpose of these boxes that are
>>>called servers? Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>I'll start things going.
>>
>>I think the line can be somewhat fuzzy, but a server is generally a
>>shared computing resource, as opposed to desktops and other "personal"
>>devices intended for use by single individuals (at least at any
>>particular time).
>>
>>There are print servers, file servers, application servers, web
>>servers, database servers, video servers, compute servers, terminal
>>servers, boot servers, jumpstart servers, dns servers, dhcp servers,
>>news servers, etc. with variations limited only by the imagination of
>>system architects.
>>
>>X-servers are another beast entirely.
>>
>
>
> Thanks for the answer. I know of companies, like Sun or whatever that sells
> servers of different types: entry-level, midrange and high-end range. Are
> these servers simply boxes that contain many CPU's, main boards, etc.?
>
>
>

They may have things like lights-out-management rather than frame
buffers, come with different software licenses, and be capable of
scaling bigger, but at least at the low end there are often similar
boxes configured differently sold as workstations.

"Dominick DiMantova" <7th_rank@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
newsge2b.10392$jd.4970@fe02.atl2.webusenet.com.. .
>
> "CJT" <cheljuba@prodigy.net> wrote in message
> news:3F491ABF.4000604@prodigy.net...
> > Dominick DiMantova wrote:
> >
> > > Hello, all:
> > >
> > > I'm new to the world of System Administration. I'm a student and I am
> > > learning alot about Unix, sys admin, etc. Now, I hear alot about
certain
> > > kinds of servers that seem to be self-contained in it's own box. Can
> someone
> > > explain to me what is a server; i.e., servers from Sun, entry-level,
> > > high-end servers, and so on. What is the purpose of these boxes that
are
> > > called servers? Thanks.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > I'll start things going.
> >
> > I think the line can be somewhat fuzzy, but a server is generally a
> > shared computing resource, as opposed to desktops and other "personal"
> > devices intended for use by single individuals (at least at any
> > particular time).
> >
> > There are print servers, file servers, application servers, web
> > servers, database servers, video servers, compute servers, terminal
> > servers, boot servers, jumpstart servers, dns servers, dhcp servers,
> > news servers, etc. with variations limited only by the imagination of
> > system architects.
> >
> > X-servers are another beast entirely.
> >
>
> Thanks for the answer. I know of companies, like Sun or whatever that
sells
> servers of different types: entry-level, midrange and high-end range. Are
> these servers simply boxes that contain many CPU's, main boards, etc.?

There are many different configurations that can be used. Some have only a
single CPU, but most have multiple CPUs. Some may be clusters (multiple
boxes, with multiple CPUs). Just because a computer has multiple CPUs does
not make it a server. It depends on what the computer doing. It the
computer serving clients? A database server runs a database that multiple
clients will access. A file server does the same, but at a file level. A
web server providing web pages (java, html, etc.) to clients. A pinter
server also serves multiple clients, but for printing, etc., etc., etc.

Low, medium and high end servers refer to the level of capabilities that a
given computer has. I'm sure different vendors have different definitions
so I wouldn't get wraped around that. After all, you were not asking about
marketing.

Brad