Why Servers?

[MechE]

I noticed a lot of people doing up some sort of server. I see that they tend to have multiple drives, so I'm guessing they are mostly for feeding data to other computers. Am I wrong? What are the pros and cons to using servers and what makes them unique? Just wondering...

 

[ATMINSIDE]

A lot of people use them as a data hub for their house to have access to the same documents/music/movies on all their devices.

I, personally, run Ventrilo/Teamspeak/Minecraft servers on mine.

 

[Janus67]

Yep mine is basically my media hub, streaming box, and file backup.

 

[trekky]

server
"A computer or computer program that manages access to a centralized resource or service in a network."
but I assume you mean more then 1CPU?
but I have a 2p that file shares and minecraft
but most run programs that need a lot of CPU power

 

[10XTriplet]

I use a NAS.. For my media hub. I have three of them. All RAID 1. It has far less things to fail and its a much smaller footprint. No licensing to worry about, no HOT cpu, or RAM failing.. No monitor, keyboard or mouse needed. Just a better choice than a computer..IMO...

 

[hafa]

but most run programs that need a lot of CPU power

It really depends on the server's role. File servers, for instance, don't need much in the way of processing power, but need robust and fast storage subsystems. An SQL server, on the other hand, would need ample RAM, a fast storage subsystem, and moderate processing power, while an application server might need both ample RAM and processing power.

For home users, the most common server role is a file server, which provides a central location for the storage of media, as mentioned in previous posts.

For small offices, a single (Windows) server typically fulfills several roles:

• AD server, which provides centralized control of user access through active directory and determines what users can and cannot do with their computers via group policy objects.
  
• DNS server, which provides domain name identification for devices on the network (particularly, "local" domains)
  
• DHCP server, which provides IP addresses to devices on the network
  
• File server, which provides centralized storage for all company resources (workstation desktop and documents is typically redirected to a directory on the server via group policy).
  
• Backup server, which runs scheduled file synchronization and/or disk imaging programs.

These typical roles (and much more) are allocated to separate physical/virtual machines and/or clusters in enterprise environments, such as datacenters that provide web hosting and other IT services.

Server motherboard architecture differs pretty dramatically from desktop architecture, with an emphasis on I/O, redundancy and stability, with minimal or omitted video, audio and other user features typically found on desktop boards.

no HOT cpu, or RAM failing.. No monitor, keyboard or mouse needed. Just a better choice than a computer..IMO...

A NAS can be a very good choice for many home users, as long as they're backed up daily AND use RAID1 (I like redundancy). I do, however, need to note that the file servers at our shop typically run 10 years before replacement. We use ultra-low wattage CPUs, ECC RAM and access them via remote desktop, so there's no monitor, keyboard or mouse.

 

[cullam3n]

I have a NAS that runs headless. It stores my music/video for my HTPC and pictures, as well as old drivers and anything else I want to have stored. It uses minimal power and stays quiet and cool, and runs 24/7. I can VPN from my phone to my home network and stream music to my car if I want to.

I lost a lot of data over the years including pictures I couldn't repalce and I'm tired of it. This way I'm doing it right and making backups as well.

 

[MechE]

Wow, there is a lot more to it then I thought. I'm going to google a few of these terms you guys are throwing about and get educated a bit. I have 2 old Dells that had some sort of pentiums in them and DDR ram, I wonder if I can make one, or both, into a server. I have been pondering on how to remote access files at home from campus and if I had my own server with some sort of internet abilities I would never have to worry about leaving a thumb drive at home that has an assignment on it. Which has happened a few times... Plus file sharing for my desktops and laptops would be nice too. Thanks for the info everyone.