How does a Server build work?

[DarkMesa]

Hello

I'm just a 15 year old guy who has a massive passion for tech and I know how a gaming build work, how to put it together, but one thing I've always wondered is how a Server build works. Now, I presume it's just like a Gaming build, where there's a processor, a motherboard, an (obviously) bigger amount of RAM, bunch of SDDs, cooling system and remote access, but does it really work like that? Do you install Windows Server on it, then connect remotely via FTP or LAN? I'm really wondering so if someone knows..

I watched the video where Linus installed the Petabyte Server and I was a bit confused of what's in the Server case, probably those parts were custom built? Thanks for further replies

[Mira Yurizaki]

It pretty much works like that. There's nothing significantly different about the hardware you put in a gaming PC than you do a server PC. You can play games on a server and you can run a server on your gaming PC. There are some features for servers you may want to consider, like using registered/ECC RAM, but those are not requirements. The server Linus built and what's in his server cabinet are all standardized form factors and possibly parts. Maybe except for the case layout itself, but the sizing is standard. But you don't need to build a server using that either if you don't really need it.

 

I mean, in my case, I technically have two servers. One's my NAS that acts as my file server/backup storage and another is a NUC I installed Linux on to do some development work on.

[Lurick]

For the most part yes, they generally come in different form factors (rack mount) and will still usually include hard drives for mass storage or SSDs for quick access times, depends on the use case. You'll install Windows Server or more likely some flavor of Linux on it. Most enterprises will configure SSH for access on Linux based servers with KVM local access as well for diagnostics and whatnot. For a Windows server you will generally use RDP to access it and there will be ACLs (access control lists) that allow certain groups of people or network ranges to access the devices at different levels or just in general (IP ACL to deny blocks of the network from access and user ACLs to allow certain permissions).

[Sir Asvald]

Each Server has its own use. And they all come in different shapes and sizes. They range from being rack server or even a tower server. 

 

• Files Server (just like a SAN, but only for a local network)
• SAN (Storage Area network) These are typically are used in Datacenters. 
• Domain Controller ( Windows based or Linux Based)
• Web server (Storing Webpages, just like this Forum)
• Email Server. Serving emails. Allowing you to send and receive. 
• DNS Server. For resolving IP address to names. 
• Virtualisation Server. This is now adopted everywhere. Usually used to convert Physical server into Virtual ones. Which saves electricity 
• Game server, hosts games. 
• VPS Server, just a server on the cloud, usually just a VM. (this is where the Virtualisation comes into play)

 

As for Linus he has SAN.

 

 

There are more different types but those are the general ones.

[Lurick]

4 minutes ago, Abdul201588 said:

As for Linus he has SAN.

Just to nit pick but he's actually just using a File Server.

SAN uses FC, FCoE, or iSCSI (for the most part it's one of those three) and a NAS/File Server just attaches directly to the network and presents the files directly whereas SAN systems are presented as LUNs. SAN networking generally requires complex switching infrastructure that deals completely with LUN based networking and FC or a switch that speaks IP and FCoE or something similar.

[Enderman]

A server is the same thing as a computer, it's just usually made for running certain applications or software, typically for multiple users.

That's why it is called a "server".