Networking Basics: Part 4 — Workstation and Server
These are the next installments in the series of default tutorials for the internet initiator or initiator. Today’s article is about the difference between workstation and server.
Before this article, we had the opportunity to discuss network hardware devices and TCP/ IP protocols. Network hardware is used to establish physical connections between devices, while TCP/IP is the main language used for network communication. In this article, we will also talk about network edits.
Even if you’re completely new, you’ve heard the server and workstation words before. These words are commonly used to refer to the role of the computer in the network, rather than computer hardware. For example, if the computer is functioning as a server, server hardware is not required to run. You can install the server operating system on your computer. The computer will then act as a network server. In fact, almost all servers use special hardware, making it possible to control their internal heavy workloads.
The idea of a network server is often technically complicated in terms of definition: the server is a computer that owns or stores shared resources on the network. It said that computers running Windows XP can also be viewed as servers if they are configured to share some resources such as files and printers.
The computers that were found on the network were friends. Peer computer works on both workstation and server. These machines usually use the desktop operating system (like Windows XP) but can use network resources and own them.
In the past, the peer-to-peer network was mainly found on a very small network. The idea here is that workstations can be configured to perform “dual” tasks if a small company lacks resources for a real server. For example, each user can transmit their files to others on the network. If the machine has a printer attached, they can share it with all computers on the network, storing resources.
Due to their lack of security capabilities and inability to operate centrally, peer-to-peer networks are not used in large companies. That is why peer-to-peer networks are often found in very small companies or home users who use multiple PCs. Windows Vista (next generation of Windows XP) tries to change it. Windows Vista allows client/server network users to create peer groups. Where in groups members will share resources with each other in secure mode without connecting to the network server. This new component will be marketed as a support tool.
Peer-to-peer networks are not as popular as the client/server network because of their lack of security and centralized management. However, since the computer network is made up of servers and workstations, the network does not need to ensure high security and focused management. Remember that the server is only a dedicated machine to store resources on the network. It said there are numerous different types of servers, and one of them was specifically designed to provide security and management capabilities.
For example, Windows servers come in two main types: the member server and the domain controller (domain controller). There is really nothing special about the member server. The member server is only a computer connected to the network and runs a Windows Server operating system. The member server can be used as a file storage feature (also called a file server) or as a location owned by one or more network printers (also known as printer servers). Member servers are also frequently used to host network applications. For example, Microsoft Exchange Server offers a product called 2003. When installed on the member server, it allows the member server to function as a mail server.
The domain controller is very special. The job of the domain controller is to provide security and management to the network. Are you familiar with login by entering the username and password? On the Windows network, it is a domain controller. It is responsible for tracking and verifying usernames and passwords.
The person in charge of network management is called the administrator. When users want to access resources on Windows networks, the administrator will use the utility provided by the domain controller to create accounts and passwords for new users. When a new user (or someone who wants another account) tries to log on to the network, their “passport” (username and password) is sent to the domain controller. The domain controller will allow by comparing the data provided with the copy stored in its database. If the user-supplied password and the password stored on the domain controller, they will be given network access. This process is called authentication.
On windows networks, only domain controllers perform authentication services. However, users will need to use the resources stored on member servers. This is not a problem because resources on member servers are protected by a set of privileges associated with security information on the domain controller.
To make it easier to understand, we will take a concrete example. Suppose my username is a quaint. I enter the username and password, they will be sent to the domain controller for authentication. When the domain controller authorizes the data, it does not allow me access to any resources. It only checks the validity of the information I provide. When accessing the resources of the member server, my computer releases unique login token, which is authenticated by the domain controller by default. The member server may not trust me, but it trusts the domain controller. Therefore, if the domain controller validates my identity, the member server will accept and access any source I have permission.
As you can see, the process of authentication on domain controllers and access to network resources is a little complicated. We will continue to discuss assurances and resource access in greater detail in the next series. And now, everything is the easiest to help you understand. In the next article of this series, we will discuss more detail with the role of the domain controller in Active Directory with the role of the domain controller.
Originally published at https://www.tridevcomputer.com on August 28, 2020.
