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AI and process automation

Server

A server is a computer system or software application whose job is to provide data, resources or services to other computers on a network, which we call clients. It works on a “service” principle: the server constantly waits for requests from clients (your browser, for instance) and then answers them (sending back a web page). In the context of the internet, a server is a physical device located in a data centre, running 24/7 to keep websites and applications constantly available.

The server is a fundamental building block of the internet. It differs from an ordinary home computer in its higher performance, stability and fault tolerance. While you use an ordinary computer to interact yourself, a server is designed to serve hundreds or millions of users at once.

The most common types of server are:

  1. Web server: stores website files and delivers them to visitors (Apache, Nginx).
  2. Database server: manages and stores data (information about products and orders in an e-shop, for instance).
  3. Mail server: handles sending, receiving and storing email.
  4. File server: serves to store and share files within a company.
  5. Game server: connects players in online games in real time.

Advantages

  • High availability: servers are designed to run without interruption for years, which guarantees your e-shop is available even at three in the morning.
  • Centralised data: all important information sits in one secure place, which makes backups and access rights easier to manage.
  • Performance: server components (Intel Xeon processors, high-capacity RAM) are optimised for demanding computation and handling large numbers of requests.
  • Scalability: as traffic grows, a server's performance can be increased (by adding RAM or moving to the cloud) so the site stays fast.
  • Security: professional servers are protected in data centres with strict access control, fire suppression systems and backup power supplies (UPS).

Disadvantages

  • Maintenance costs: running your own server requires investment in hardware, cooling, electricity and skilled staff.
  • Risk of outage: if a server fails and there is no backup, every service running on it (website, email) becomes unavailable to users.
  • Cyberattacks: servers are a primary target for hackers (DDoS attacks), so they require constant monitoring and security updates.
  • Technical complexity: setting up and optimising a server requires advanced knowledge of operating systems (most often Linux) and network architecture.

Practical example

Imagine you type www.invelity.com into your browser. Your computer (the client) sends a request over the internet to our web server. The server processes the request, finds the necessary files on disk, possibly asks a database server for data, and sends it all back to you in a fraction of a second. The result is our page appearing in your browser. Thanks to the server the whole process happens so fast that you, as a user, do not even notice it.