FAQ intro :
The terminology in the world of technology is often used to mean many things. Add to that the constant and persistent use of acronyms and we are left with a confusing situation. If you are speaking in easy to understand sentences people think you must not know much about computers at all. While the use of acronyms is unavoidable we make every possible effort to keep the ‘geek speak' to a minimum.
FAQ's :
What the heck is a network anyway… do I have one already?
Now-a-days everyone seems to have some type of high speed internet access in their homes. Once they decide to share this access with multiple computers you have a “home network”. This network is really only for internet sharing.
If you want to take the next step you can set up your home network to allow for basic file and printer sharing between computers as well. This type of network is called a peer-to-peer network because all of the computers are considered “equal” in the way they communicate.
I think I have a server in my office but I am not sure?
Many small businesses have a peer to peer network in which one computer acts as the “Server”. This means that much of the data is stored on this computer and multiple computers access this data from within the office. In most cases this computer also serves as a workstation for one of the workers in the office. In fact, there is no Server in a peer to peer / workgroup environment. And as such there is no one really calling the shots on the network. For very small networks this arrangement works out fine. As an organization grows to 4 or 5 workstations and demand for shared resources, email, printing and collaboration take on more significant levels of importance a client / server domain structure is the option to consider.
What is a client / server domain? So you have a dozen 10 year olds in a room trying to figure out what to play. Some of the kids take on roles of leadership but this is a tenuous and ever shifting arrangement. The general flow of communication, collaboration and cooperation in the room is less than optimal… In walks the teacher and within a short time order is restored and the children follow the leadership offered.
In the first part of the story we are dealing with a peer to peer network. While some computers may have different leadership roles from time to time, no one is really running the show. In the second part of the story the teacher represents the server. Now we have a machine in our network that has specific roles and the other machines in the network report to it. The advantages to this client / server relationship are numerous.
What are the advantages to a client /server domain structure?
The most advantageous ability of the server is providing the ability to centralize the data and security of your network, thus making the network easier and more affordable to manage. By having your data centralized on a robust server the data is now available to all in the network on a machine that's only purpose is to “serve” the network and in addition easier to back-up. In the Peer-to-Peer model it is difficult to control the access levels of everyone on the network. It goes without saying that not everyone needs the same level of access to data. You are not going to give the receptionist full access to update records, yet you want them to have the ability to view content. The server domain environment can be as granular or basic as needed when it comes to users' rights and permissions.
Tired of updating each desktop's antivirus software every year? With a server, this is no longer needed. Only the server needs to be updated and it will manage the antivirus for the rest of the network, once again making the server domain network more affordable to manage than the Peer-To-Peer.
Do I really need a server?
No, not everyone needs a server. Jet Consulting is committed to finding the right solution for your business and a server is not always the answer.