How To Design Network Server

Network server is a most important component of a computer network because the entire computer network is administered, controlled and managed through it. Before designing a network server for your organization, you should have the adequate knowledge about the following things.

Server Processor

Processor is a heart of the CPU. It processes all the commands, instructions and commands and execute them to perform certain actions. Pentium processors are very reliable in performance and speed and trend is growing to use the multiprocessor servers to share the load on each processor. If one processor fails to work due to any reason, there is no effect on the other processor in the same server so it’s a wise decision of the network administrators to use the multiprocessor server for company’s network.

Hard Disk

Hard disks are used to store all the data in permanently. Hard disk is a mechanical device and while selecting the hard disk you should consider the S.M.A.R.T (Smart Monitoring and Reporting Technology). This technology monitors the hard drives and predicts the any failure in the hard drivers. Today, most of the server providers provide hot swap disk drives, this means that if one there is any error occurred in the hard drives, it can be replaced with the other hard drives while the server is in the working mode.

Clustering

In a clustering environment, two or more servers operate as a single server and the failure of the one server does not affect on the other servers. Clustered environment has the benefits such as high performance, reliability and load balancing.

Memory Performance

While selecting the physical memory for the server it should be considered the memory support Error Correcting Code technology. ECC technology fixes and repairs any single bit errors and report the multi bit errors. High memory is very vital for the server for its best performance, speed and continuous work.

Power Supply

Most of the computers come with the multi power supplies. This means in case of failure of the one power supply, does not affect on the other power supply in the same computer and in this way computer works normally. Multi power supplies are hot swappable like the hard disks i.e. faulty power supplies can be replaced with the new ones while the server is in the working mode.

UPS

UPS or uninterrupted power supply are very important in a network environment because a sudden jerk of the electricity may cause of the hard drives or mother boards of the server as well as the other computers in the network. A UPS normally provide a backup of 3-4 hours and during that time server and other computers can be setup and the files or other data can be saved.

Cooling Fans

The cooling system inside the server is provided by the cooling fans. Cooling fans pull the cool air inside the server and through out the heat from the server. The failure of the cooling fan results in the automatic shutdown of the server due to the high buildup of the heat. Many vendors of the computer systems are providing the hot swappable cooling fans.

Computer Monitoring Hardware

There is a specially designed adapter to monitor the performance of the different parts of the hardware of the computer. This adapter can also be controlled by a modem remotely.

Computer Monitoring Software

Different computer monitoring software is available in the market and their main purpose is to monitor the performance of the server and the client computers.

Data Server Location

Network server should be placed in a dust free, cooling capable and clean environment and only the authorized users should be allowed to enter in the server room.

Hopefully my above mentioned tips will help you building a better server for your computer network

B. Bashir manages this website Networking Tutorials and regularly writes articles on various topics such as Computer Networking, Network Troubleshooting Tips Wireless Networking, Computer Hardware, Certifications, How Tos, Network Security Guide and computer tips.

Networking For LAN

Wiring up a LAN (local area network) can be very easy, or it can be very difficult – it all depends on the size of your network, and how you’re trying to go about it.
For a very small home network, you can get by without using any special equipment except the wires. If you want to use a network to share Internet access or a printer, just plug an Ethernet cable into the computers you want to network, and then use the simple networking features that are built into Windows, such as Internet Connection Sharing. This approach has many downsides, though – you’ll need an extra Ethernet card in each computer for every extra computer you connect to the network, for one.
Instead of connecting each computer to the next, it is better to simply connect all the computers to a central router. This is a very efficient way of connecting computers together, as the data you send will be quickly and easily routed to its destination: the data goes to the router, which knows which wire to send it down for it to reach the destination address, and simply sends it that way. This also allows you to turn on and off computers as you please with no ill effects, as the router is always-on.
If you want to connect more devices to the network than the four or five ports on a router will allow, then you need to get a network switch. This allows you to create a separate sector of your network especially for one group of devices. For example, you might have your computer and your printer both plugged into a switch. The computer and the printer can then communicate between themselves without the data needing to travel out onto the wider network – but if they want to send to or receive from the wider network, they can do that too.
John Gibb is the owner of ethernet resources For more information on ethernet check out

http://www.ethernet-intelligence.info

Computer Networking Definition

Computer Networking Definition
Definition of "Computer networking" is the engineering discipline concerned with communication between computer systems. Such communicating computer systems constitute a computer network and these networks generally involve at least two devices capable of being networked with at least one usually being a computer. The devices can be separated by a few meters (e.g. via Bluetooth) or nearly unlimited distances (e.g. via the Internet). Computer networking is sometimes considered a sub-discipline of telecommunications, and sometimes of computer science, information technology and computer engineering. Computer networks rely heavily upon the theoretical and practical application of these scientific and engineering disciplines.
A computer network is any set of computers or devices connected to each other. Examples of networks are the Internet, a wide area network that is the largest to ever exist, or a small home local area network (LAN) with two computers connected with standard networking cables connecting to a network interface card in each computer.
Networking Methods
Networking is a complex part of computing that makes up most of the IT Industry. Without networks, almost all communication in the world would cease to happen. It is because of networking that telephones, televisions, the internet, etc. work.
There are two (broad) types of networks in existence at the moment. These are:
Local Area Network (LAN)
A Local Area Network is a network that spans a relatively small space and provides services to a small amount of people. Depending on the amount of people that use a Local Area Network, a peer-to-peer or client-server method of networking may be used. A peer-to-peer network is where each client shares their resources with other workstations in the network. Examples of peer-to-peer networks are: Small office networks where resource use is minimal and a home network. A client-server network is where every client is connected to the server and each other. Client-server networks use servers in different capacities. These can be classified into two types: Single-service servers, where the server performs one task such as file server, print server, etc.; while other servers can not only perform in the capacity of file servers and print servers, but they also conduct calculations and use these to provide information to clients (Web/Intranet Server). Computers are linked via Ethernet Cable, can be joined either directly (one computer to another), or via a network hub that allows multiple connections.
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A Wide Area Network is a network where a wide variety of resources are deployed across a large domestic area or internationally. An example of this is a multinational business that uses a WAN to interconnect their offices in different countries. The largest and best example of a WAN is the Internet, which is the largest network in the world.
Wireless Networks (WLAN, WWAN)
A wireless network is basically the same as a LAN or a WAN but there are no wires between hosts and servers. The data is transfered over sets of radio trancievers. These types of networks are beneficial when it is to costly or inconvenient to run the necessary cables. For more information, see Wireless LAN and Wireless wide area network
In order for communication to take place between computers, mediums must be used. These mediums include Protocols, Physical Routers and Ethernet, etc. This is covered by Open Systems Interconnection which comprises all the processes that make information transport possible.

Wireless Adapter Cards - Wireless Network Adapters

PCI Wireless Adapter Card for Desktop Computers

PCI stands for "Peripheral Component Interconnect," an industry standard for connecting devices to a computer's central processor. PCI works by establishing a common interconnect called a bus that all connected devices share for communication. PCI is the most common interconnect used in desktop personal computers.

A PCI wireless adapter card connects to a desktop computer's PCI bus. Because the PCI bus is contained inside the computer, the unit must be opened and the wireless network adapter installed inside.

An example of a PCI wireless adapter card, the Linksys WMP54G (compare prices) is shown above. This unit is more than 8 inches (200 mm) long in order to accommodate the standard connection strip required to electrically join to the bus. The unit attaches and fits snugly inside the PCI, although the wireless adapter card antenna protrudes out the back of the computer.

1. PCI Wireless Adapter Card for Desktop Computers
   
   
2. Wireless PC Card Adapter for Notebook Computers
   
   
3. Wireless USB Network Adapter
   
   
4. Wireless Ethernet Bridge
   
   
5. Wireless CompactFlash Card Adapter for PDAs

Networking With A Router

Using a router on broadband and/or wireless home networks
A network router is a small electronic device that allows you build a home network simply. The home router serves as the core or "centerpiece" of the network to which computers, printers and other devices can be connected. Networking with a router helps you to (for example):

share files between computers
share an Internet connection between computers
share a printer
connect your game console or other home entertainment equipment to the Internet
Routers are not necessarily required to build a network. For example, you can connect two computers directly to each other with just a cable (or without wires in some cases). Home routers offer convenience and easier maintenance as your network grows.
Related - Connecting Two Home Computers
Choosing a Network Router
You can choose from among several different types of home network router products.

The two most common types in popular usage are the 802.11b and 802.11g WiFi models. 802.11g is the newer technology, but 802.11b routers often can do the job for an even lower cost.

• More - Choosing a Wireless Router
  
• Gear - Top 802.11g Wireless Routers
  
• Gear - Top 802.11b Wireless Routers

Installing a Network Router

Network routers receive their power from an ordinary home electrical socket. When powered on, lights (LEDs) signify the unit is operating.

Network routers must be carefully configured when they are first installed. Like computers and other devices on the home network, routers must be set up with IP addresses. Routers also offer optional (but strongly recommended) security features.

Routers contain built-in software to enable setup. You access this software through your Web browser on any computer connected to the router.

• More - How To Set Up a Router

Another New Level of Home Networking Technology

Businesses, especially larger businesses, and academic institutions have long enjoyed the luxury of having computer networks with shared folders. This shared folders can be a great resource when it comes to sharing data among different users or allowing users to move fluidly among different work stations. That's because these shared folders are accessible from any computer.

For example, if an employee wants to share a document with another employee, instead of taking the trouble to send it as an email attachment or putting it on a floppy disc or USB drive and carrying it over to the other computer, it can just be dragged and dropped from its own folder to the shared folder on the computer's desktop. Then employee number two can just pull it out of the shared folder and use it on his or her own computer. This also makes it easy to back up files- again, just drag and drop the file that needs to be backed up into the shared folder.

It's even possible to have multiple shared folders, one for collaborative projects, on for random documents that need to be backed up, and one for each individual employee to make it easy for employees to switch work stations are all possibilities.

Now, thanks to Hewlett Packard's media vault, it's possible to have the same kind of networking in your home. The media vault is essentially a server that can be tied into your home computer network. It serves as a repository for backing up data and sharing documents in different folders just like is mentioned above. Like the kind of a server you'd find as part of a well done local area network in a business, the Media Vault can even be administered in such a way as to make it so that less computer literate members of a household can't accidentally delete important documents.

Unlike a lot of the servers used in the business world the Media Vault is very user friendly. For example, it's easy to have all of the shared folders mapped out on each computer on the network. It's also easy to back up various kinds of files to prevent data loss.

If data back up is really the order of the day, it's also very easy to install a RAID array in the empty port of the Media Vault. While the empty port is designed to add capacity by installing another hard drive, a RAID array will automatically back up whatever is on the first drive for an extra level of protection against the failure of one of the drives. Of course it's also possible to add another hard drive.

The Media Vault comes in two versions. One has a storage capacity of three hundred gigabytes and the other can store as much as five hundred gigabytes of data. Of course, it's possible to expand the larger model up to a total of one point two terabytes!

The real beauty of the Media Vaults is that they can stream music and video to home entertainment system components with the right adapters. This will allow you to watch Internet video on your living room TV screen and to listen to digital music on your home stereo system. In other words, HP's Media Vaults go way beyond the normal capacities of home computer networks!

A leader in technology reporting, Julia Hall has published articles about the latest digital devices and gadgets for over ten years. After graduating from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, Julia turned down huge salaries from some of the most recognized fortune 500 companies in the world to pursue his dream of becoming a leading consumer advocate. Julia uses her expertise to cut through the too good to be true deals offered by high tech companies to reveal the real steals and the real duds that we're bombarded with daily. If you enjoy staying on the cutting edge of technology, whether for business or pleasure, but find yourself occassionaly confused by the overwhelming information out there let Julia be your guide.

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