8 - Network Servers: Files, the Web, and Printers

Abstract

One of the most basic uses of computer networks is to share printers and files. For sharing files small networks, there are two architectures: client-server and peer-to-peer. A client-server architecture tends to be a permanent setup, while peer-to-peer sharing tends to be generally ad hoc. A file server is more than just a piece of hardware. It includes software that supports file sharing and handles access restrictions to the contents of the machine's hard-drives. Novell NetWare was the first widely used network operating system (OS). Client software is available for Windows, Max OS, and a variety of UNIX computers. Windows server is the most widely used server operating system. Windows server provides management services for servers, desktop computers, and network resources. It can handle clients running Mac OS X and some varieties of UNIX. A print server is software that runs either on a computer or on a small stand-alone device and manages the print queue. It takes care of adding jobs to the queue, sending them to the printer as the printer becomes available, and providing an interface for a system administrator to manage the queue.