What is the difference between a desktop and a server?

Answer 1

a web server is usally rack mounted and is very powerful where as a desktop PC can be set up as a server PC desktop PC's are suited to raphival applctaions and many servers don't have sreens

A server is a repository of information and a gateway to other sources of information (e.g. the internet). Depending on the number of workstations it serves and the type of information they are accessing the server may be quite powerful or it may be an old P4 system made into a server. Again, its main job is to store information so that the connected workstations can use it and to provide a gateway to other sources of information namely the Internet. The software used for servers is specifically designed for those tasks. An example of a simple server is a modern router - either wireless or wired. It contains its own server software, typically a form of Linux, and acts as a gateway to the internet allowing connected workstations to access it. It also provides some protection in the form of firewalls and passwords.

Answer 2

There's no definitive difference; server software will run on a desktop computer. However, from the nature of the job the perform, servers usually have different hardware setups: * Bigger, faster, redundant hard drives. * Server software usually allows remote configuration, so many have no screens or keyboards. * Servers, pretty much by definition have network connections - this isn't essential for desktop computers.

Answer 3

The only difference in Desktop software and server software is the extra programs for security. For instance server software comes with programs to restrict people who are using the server as to what they can and cannot use. Whether it is files are connection to the Internet. The Network adminstrator gives permissions to all people on the server based on company policy. It also has lots more Networking type of options because it is used to set up protocols like TCP/IP to make sure the network runs smoothly.

Answer 4

Servers come in a variety of configurations, so a definitive difference is probably not possible. In general:

• Servers utilize both more powerful processors (such as Intel Xeons) and more of them (many over 64 cores) than most desktops.
• Servers support more RAM than desktops do. 64 GB is not uncommon for a mid-range server.
• Servers, being designed for maximum uptime, usually have redundant power supplies and ECC (Error Correcting Code) RAM.
• Depending on the purpose of the server, it may have several terabytes of storage space in a RAID array.
• Servers usually have much larger cases, in order to accommodate this extra hardware.

Note that the above describes form, not function. It is quite possible to run a server operating system on a desktop, so long as it meets your load requirements. It is also possible to use a server machine as a desktop system, if you're very rich and like very fast computers.

Answer 5

G543 is right that there are additional functions available on a server version of the operating system but that is not the only difference. The primary difference between the server software and the desktop software is what its primary task is. For the desktop, it concentrates the CPUs work on the foreground tasks such as the applications that the end-user is running. On a server, however, the operating system is set to spend most of its time concentrating on the background tasks such as managing print queues, responding to file access requests and login attempts, etc. As such, running applications or other functions on the server will cause them to run more slowly for the end-user trying to use the server as a typical workstation. It could (and often does) impact the overall performance of the server and cause it not to respond as readily, so it is most often highly advised not to use the server for running foreground tasks, even for network management unless absolutely necessary. Instead, log into it from a workstation and keep everyone on the network and the server itself happy.

Answer 6

Ubuntu server has no graphical user interface and is optimized for server performance. The desktop version has a graphical user interface and typical desktop applications.