Server Roles
A server is usually a process running in memory on a networked system that responds to requests from a remote client system.
What is a server?
Used to resolve a domain name into an IP address
DNS server—domain name system server
An Internet appliance is a physical device on the network that is purpose-built to serve a single purpose. The most commonly used Internet appliances are security devices.
What is an Internet Appliance?
Legacy systems are older systems that for one reason or another have not been updated. It is usually due to essential applications that will not run on the updated platform. Embedded systems are devices other than computers that have computer technology running within. Like legacy systems, these may not be able to stay updated.
What are Legacy/Embedded Systems?
A web-based server that typically uses HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol), or possibly FTP (file transfer protocol), to respond to requests from a client
Web server
an intermediary device between the Internet and users; a dedicated system that locally stores often used Internet sites; improves response time and provides security
Proxy server
is an all-inclusive network security appliance that typically provides intrusion detection, anti-malware, firewall, and content filtering.
UTM—Unified threat management
The repository of shared data files in a client-server model
File server
an application that acts as a message transfer agent (MTA) to send and receive email on a network
Mail server
monitors network traffic to detect and alert on the presence of malicious traffic. IT uses signatures and heuristics (analyzing traffic to determine abnormal behavior) to determine if traffic is malicious.
IDS—An intrusion detection system appliance
A network attached device that manages print requests
Print Server
an application that provides authentication to users attempting to log in to a network
Authentication server
works like an IDS, but rather than just alerting on malicious traffic, it will also block it.
IPS—An intrusion prevention system appliance
Used to assign the necessary network parameters to hosts on a network, such as IP address and subnet information
DHCP server—dynamic host configuration protocol server
a syslog server receives and stores syslog messages from network devices. Syslog messages indicate events of different severities that may be used for monitoring and troubleshooting.
syslog
An appliance that provides a management console that can monitor and control end-point devices. It is used to deploy and update software on end-points. It may also monitor security settings and software such as checking to see that antivirus is running and up to date on each end-point.
End-point management server