What is a web server? Characteristics, Functions and Types of Servers

Probably one of the most attractive characteristics of a web page is that the information they present is easily accessible and is available at any time you decide to search for it, this thanks to operation of a web server. But, do you know what is a web server? A web server is a computer resource made up of software making bidirectional connections.

It is recommended that it be guarded by experts to avoid possible computer attacks, because unfortunately there are malicious people who take advantage of computer vulnerabilities to steal data on the network.

Regarding the history of web servers, the first person to design one was the software engineer Tim Berners-Lee, in 1990. For this he used a NeXT Cube computer as hardware and as a data bridge the combination of HTML and HTTP that were locatable via a URL.

What are the main functions and characteristics of a web server?

The efficiency of a web server has a direct impact on the execution of the websites, and therefore in the experience when navigating them. For this reason, before choosing the ideal server for your website it is important that you know the different characteristics that define it.

· Operating system

The operating system of a web server allows the hardware to execute the programs necessary for the storage and transfer of files that the client will make available to the software. Among the different types of operating systems designed for servers the most used by users are Windows Server 2019 and GNU / Linux.

· Storage capacity

The more storage space the server you use has at its disposal, the more data it can collect and share on the web. Now, we clarify that if you plan to have a single web page it will be enough that you hire a 1GB hosting service.

Data Transfer Capability

Each of the files that you want to transfer from a server to the web have a specific weight, the sum of which will determine how much the total weight of the web page is. However, when different clients access a URL at the same time, its weight is multiplied by each of the visitors, so the server hardware must have a bandwidth capable of transfer the total of the requested data.

Functionalities and different models of web servers

Among the main functions of a web server is the storage and organization of files that are distributed from one computer to another, through the use of the internet network. In technical terms, the server is responsible for executing programs that generate an HTML code that is received by the client as an HTTP code that allows it to view the web page.

Types of web servers

While there are several types of web servers that you can consider using for optimal operation of your website, we present the three most used by users worldwide and the main characteristics that each of them have:

·         Apache

Is a open source web server developed in 1995 by the Apache Software Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the United States. Currently, just over 40% of web pages are configured with Apache.

Its popularity is probably due to the fact that it is a high performance server, which includes security patches as part of the service it offers. At the same time, its compatibility with the Linux, BSD and Windows operating system makes it very competent.

·         NGINX

Available since 2004, NGINX is an open source web server used by major companies such as Twitter, Facebook, and T-Mobile. Its main advantage over other servers is that it can establish more than 10,000 connections at a time with low memory usage, thanks to its asynchronous approach that allows processing a large number of requests.

·         LiteSpeed

It is a commercial web server that has a cPanel that allows its easy installation and control. But, one of its most notable qualities is that it allows Apache file migration automatically with better performance capacity than other servers.