Web Servers
Additional resources for Web Servers include:
Web Servers play a significant role in making the Internet into what it is today. We no longer have to go to a library to get information or go shopping to get our groceries. The convenience of the Internet has changed our lives. However, have you ever wondered how we get this information and services from the Internet?
What are Web Servers?
A web server is a computer or more specifically a piece of software that runs on a computer that allows the retrieval of web pages. Examples of web server software include Apache and Microsoft’s Information Internet Services (IIS). Web Servers also allow web services, a service that performs a routine task such as retrieving the weather for a specific city, to be used.
Functionality
To access a webpage the user needs an Internet connection provided by ISP providers. Additionally, the user needs to have access to an Internet browser to retrieve the web pages from the web server.
To communicate with the web server, it is necessary to enter a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or better known as a web address to locate a specific web server. An example of a URL is http://www.computernetworkingcentral.com. The web browser will then send a request to the web server to retrieve information. In this example, the web server will retrieve the ‘index’ web page which is the default web page. The web browser will then decode and display the information of the web page received. This transaction of data needs to follow the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) which specifies how messages are formatted and sent.
In some circumstances multiple servers are used to manage the number of web page requests by users. Typically large businesses need several Web Servers to share the work load as one server may become overwhelmed. Furthermore, architecture technology may be implemented. This means that many other servers and services may be used in combination with Web Servers to retrieve information. An example would be a login system. This would require the web server to be protected with firewalls for security purposes and a database server to store and retrieve usernames, passwords and other information.
Web Hosting
Web hosting companies have dedicated servers available to lease if clients are not able to host their own Web Servers. When choosing which server to pick it is important to note that using .NET Framework technology requires the use of a Windows server.
The convenience of the Internet today could not have been established without the aid of Web Servers and its technological advancements.
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