UNDERSTANDING SERVER ROLES
A network or network infrastructure is the grouping of hardware
devices and software components needed to connect devices within an
organization and to connect the organization to other organizations and
the Internet.
The network infrastructure’s physical hardware and logical
components are needed to provide a number of features for the network,
including connectivity, routing and switching capabilities, network
security, and access control. The network or network infrastructure has
to exist before a number of servers needed to support applications that
users need can be deployed into a networking environment.
Therefore, when planning a network design and deciding on
the computers for the network, the functions the computer will
be performing must be known. Understanding these functions
will put the network designer in a good position to determine
the hardware and software components the computers need.
Windows Server itself provides a number of features and
tools when installed on a computer.
Additional features and functions have to be implemented on
a server to provide the services and capabilities that the
organization and its users require.
In fact, until these additional features and functions make
certain services available, the computer cannot be used as
users require.
Computers required on a network can be broadly grouped according to the
following roles:
Server roles – servers can be configured to perform a number of roles.
The applications that the server is running specify the particular server’s
role. Servers typically need services and additional features installed to
perform its specific role. When compared to workstations, servers have
more disk space and memory and faster processors. The server’s role
determines the hardware that servers require. A few common server roles
are listed below:
Domain controller
Database server
Backup server
File server
Print server
Infrastructure server
Web server
E-mail server
Desktop workstation roles – desktop workstations differ from servers in
that desktop workstations are general purpose computers that can
perform a number of functions.
Portable workstation roles – portable workstations are the solution to
bringing a desktop computer’s features to an off-site employee.
Windows Server introduced the concept of server roles. Server roles
basically group related administrative tasks and provide a specific
capability or function for the network design. With Windows Server, if a
server is configured for a certain server role, then a number of additional
services, features, and tools are installed for the server. In this manner,
the server is set up to provide users with the required services.
Windows Server provides a new tool for defining and
managing server roles, namely, the Manage Your Server
utility.
The actual Wizard for applying the server roles to
computers is the Configure Your Server Wizard.
The Configure Your Server Wizard is included within the
Manage Your Server utility and is also managed through
this utility.
For Windows Server 2003, there are 11 different server roles that can be
configured with the Configure Your Server Wizard:
File server
Print server
Application server
Mail server
Terminal server
Remote access server/VPN server
Domain controllers
DNS server
WINS server
DHCP server
Streaming media server
Understanding the File Server Role
The file server role is a widely used role when configuring
servers in Windows Server based networks. This is due to the file
server role storing data for network users and providing access to
files stored on the file server.
The file server role is not available in the Windows Server Web
Edition. Users that have the necessary rights to access the
directories in which the files are stored can access a file stored on
a file server volume.
File servers provide the following functions:
• Enable users to store files in a centralized location.
• Enable a user to share files with another user.
A few file server role characteristics and features are:
• Files and folder resources can be shared between network users.
• Administrators can manage the following file server aspects:
• Access to files and folders
• Disk space
• Disk quotas can be implemented to control the amount of space
that users can utilize.
• For file servers that have NTFS volumes:
• NTFS security can be used to protect files from users who are not
authorized to access the files and folders.
Encrypting File System (EFS) enables users to encrypt files,
folders, and entire data drives on NTFS formatted volumes.
EFS secures confidential corporate data from unauthorized
access.
• Distributed File System (DFS) provides a single hierarchical
file system that assists with organizing shared folders on
multiple computers in the network. DFS provides a single
logical file system structure by concealing the underlying file
share structure within a virtual folder structure. Users only
see a single file structure even though there are multiple
folders on different file servers within the organization.
• The Offline files feature can be enabled if
necessary. Offline Files make it possible for a
user to mirror server files to a local laptop and
ensures that the laptop files and server files
are in sync.
Offline Files ensure that laptop users can
access the server based files when they are not
connected to the network.
Understanding the Print Server Role
The PRINT SERVER ROLE = provides network printing capabilities
for the network. Through the print server role, a server can be
configured to manage printing functions on the network.
Users typically connect to a network printer through a connection
to a print server. THE PRINT SERVER is the computer where the
print drivers are located that manage printing between printers and
client computers.
The print servers supply clients with the necessary printer drivers
The PRINT SERVERS also manage communication between
the printers and the client computers.
THE PRINT SERVERS manage the print queues and can
also supply audit logs on jobs that users printed.
A NETWORK INTERFACE PRINTER is a printer that connects
to the network through a network card.
The print server role is not available in the Windows Server
2003 Web Edition.
When deciding on a PRINT SERVER,
• Ensure that the print server has sufficient disk space to store
print jobs waiting in the printer queue.
• It is recommended that a dedicated fast drive is used for the
print spooler.
• Users should consider implementing a print server cluster
if their enterprise needs exceptional reliability and
performance when it comes to printing.
A few print server characteristics are:
1. The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) –
a management APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACE (API)
can be used to manage printing on the network.
2. Print servers can also be remotely managed.
3. Administrators can control when printing devices can be utilized.
4. Administrators can control access to printers.
5. Priorities can be defined for print jobs.
6. Print jobs can be paused, resumed, and deleted and viewed.
7. Printers can be published in Active Directory
so that access to printers can be controlled according to
Active Directory accounts.
Understanding Web Servers
The APPLICATION SERVER ROLE makes web applications and distributed
applications available to users.
A web server typically contains a copy of a
World Wide Web site and can also host web based applications.
When a Web server is installed, users can utilize Web based
applications and download files.
When a web server is added through the application server
role, the following components are installed:
1. Internet Information Services 6.0
2. The Application Server console
3. The Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC)
4. COM+, the extension of the Component Object Model (COM)
Internet Information Services 6.0 The Application Server console
The Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC)
COM+, the extension of the Component Object Model (COM)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, or Simple Mail Transport
Protocol (SMTP) server.
1. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a
2. TCP/IP application layer protocol used to connect to websites
and create web content.
3. HTTP handles the publishing of static and dynamic Web
content.
4. An HTTP session consists of a connection, an HTTP request,
and an HTTP response.
The protocols that IIS 6.0 supports, the Microsoft integrated Web server,
are listed here:
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a TCP/IP application layer
protocol used to connect to websites and create web content. HTTP
handles the publishing of static and dynamic Web content. An HTTP
session consists of a connection, an HTTP request, and an HTTP
response.
1.Port 80 is used for HTTP connections. The client establishes a TCP
connection to the server with a TCP three way handshake.
2. After the connection is established, the client sends an HTTP GET
request message to the server.
3. The server sends the client the requested web page.
4. HTTP Keep-Alives maintains the TCP connection between the
client and server, if it is enabled, so that the client can request
additional pages.
5. If HTTP Keep-Alives is not enabled, the TCP connection is
terminated after the requested page is downloaded.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a TCP/IP application layer
protocol used to copy files to and from remote systems
through the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). FTP makes
it possible for clients to upload and download files from an
FTP server over an internetwork. Users can create and
administer FTP servers through IIS. An FTP server and FTP
client are needed to use the protocol.
An FTP session has a connection, a request, and a response.
1. The client establishes a TCP connection to the FTP server
through port 21.
2. A port number over 1023 is assigned to the client.
3. The client sends an FTP command to port 21.
4. If the client needs to receive data, another connection is
created with the client to convey the data. This connection
utilizes port 20.
5. The second connection remains in a TIME_WAIT state after
the data is transferred to the client. The TIME_WAIT state
makes it possible for additional data to be transferred. The
TIME_WAIT state ends when the connection times out.
Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) is a TCP/IP application
layer protocol used to send network news messages to NNTP
servers and NNTP clients on the Internet.
NNTP is a client/server and server/server protocol. The NNTP
protocol enables an NNTP host to replicate its list of newsgroups and
messages with another host through newsfeeds with a push or pull
method.
An NNTP client can establish a connection with an NNTP host to
download a list of newsgroups and read the messages contained in
the newsgroups.
Through NNTP, users can implement private news servers to
host discussion groups or implement public news servers to
provide customer support and help resources to Internet users.
It can be specified that users need to be authenticated to read
and post items to newsgroups or they can be allowed access to
everybody.
The NNTP service can also integrate with the Windows
Indexing Service to index newsgroup content. It is also fully
integrated with event and performance monitoring of Windows
Server 2003.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a TCP/IP application
layer protocol that routes and transfers e-mail between SMTP
hosts on the Internet.
SMTP enables IIS machines to operate as SMTP hosts to
forward e-mail over the Internet. IIS can be utilized instead of
Sendmail.
SMTP also enables IIS machines to protect mail servers such as
Microsoft Exchange servers from malicious attacks by operating
between these servers and Sendmail host at the organization’s
ISP. SMTP can be used to forward mail from one SMTP host to
another.
SMTP cannot deliver mail directly to the client. Mail clients use
POP3 or IMAP to receive e-mail.
Windows Server 2003 includes the POP3 service for providing
clients with mailboxes and for handling incoming e-mail. To use
the SMTP as an IIS component, the SMTP service has to be
installed first if a Windows Server 2003 Edition other than the
Windows Server 2003 Web Edition is being run.
The SMTP service is installed on the Windows Server 2003
Web Edition by default.
Understanding the Mail Server Role
The mail server role provides e-mail services for the network by
providing the functions needed for users to both send and
receive e-mail messages.
A mail server has to exist for users to send e-mail to each other.
When a mail server receives e-mail for a user, it stores the e-mail
for the intended user until that particular user retrieves it from the
mail server.
A mail server’s primary functions are to:
Store e-mail data
Process client requests
Receive incoming e-mail from the Internet
When a server for the mail server role is configured, the
following TCP/IP based protocols are installed:
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) – is a TCP/IP application layer
protocol used for routing and transferring e-mail between SMTP hosts on
the Internet. IIS 6 has to be installed to install both the SMTP service and
the Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) service. The SMTP service has to be
installed because mail servers and clients utilize this service to send e-
mail.
Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) – mail clients use the POP3 service or
IMAP to receive e-mail. Windows Server 2003 includes the POP3 service
for providing clients with mailboxes and for handling incoming e-mail. The
POP3 service also enables clients to retrieve e-mail from the mail server.
Understanding the Terminal Server Role
Terminal Services have the ability to operate as an application
server that remote clients can connect to and run sessions
from.
The Terminal Services server runs the applications. The data
response is transmitted back to the Terminal Services client.
Clients can access Terminal Services over a local area
connection or a wide area connection.
Terminal Services clients can be MS-DOS based clients,
Windows for Workgroups clients, (version 3.11), Windows
based terminals, and Macintosh clients.
To be continue……
