Server and Systems Administration

Code:CSC3504
Instructor : KWIZERA Ildephonse
 Introductory to Server Operating Systems

• What is server?
• A server is a computer, a device or a program that is dedicated to managing
network resources. A server is a computer used in a network and which
provides a service to a client. Servers usually have more processing power,
memory and storage than client computers.
How server look like?
 What is a Server OS?
• Server operating system (OS) is the one kind of operating system that is
intended to be installed and utilized on a server computer. With features and
capabilities necessary for a client-server architecture or other comparable
corporate computing environment, it is an enhanced version of an operating
system. Advanced functionalities for running, managing, monitoring, and
controlling processes, programs, and client devices—such as various servers,
such as web, file, application, mail, and database servers—are provided by a
server operating system.
 Features of Server Operating System
• Advanced functionalities for running, managing, monitoring, and controlling
processes, programs, and client devices—such as various servers, such as web, file,
application, mail, and database servers—are provided by a server operating system.

• We may connect several clients to a single server with this system and provide them
with services.

• The purpose of Server OS is to operate on the server and its processing capacity is
higher.

• Server OS accommodates more security than any other operating system.

 Examples of Server OS
• Windows Server: Windows OS has a great position for users in both personal and professional domains.
Windows OS comes with an enormous amount of manageable storage.

• Traditional Server: Small and medium-sized businesses with a small user base employ traditional servers, which
are physically located within the businesses.

• Web Server: A web server is a system that provides clients with access to HTML-programmed web pages. In
response to requests from browsers, it processes the system and provides data, including HTML pages and
images.

• Directory Server: This kind of server employs a directory, which is especially useful for Linux and
UNIX operating systems, to store system and application configuration files.

• Blade Server: It can accommodate hundreds of blade servers and is more space-efficient or inexpensive than
rack-mounted servers.

• Database Server: These are computer systems that are used to store data and offer services to other devices or
software.
 Types of Server Operating System
• Linux Operating System: All of the functions of UNIX are performed by Linux, a kind of free software. In
1991, version 0.11 was made available. it was initially created by university students in Finland. An excellent
operating system is Linux. It is powerful and reliable, open source, supports many users, multiple processes,
and multiple threads, and is freely accessible under the GPL from the CNU Free Software Foundation.
• Windows Operating System: Microsoft Corporation develops the Windows series of operating systems.
Users may run software, save data, play games, watch videos, and listen to music on this OS. It was
assembled for both private and business purposes. There are numerous kinds of series under the Windows
OS, such as Windows 2000, Windows 2003, and so on.
• MacOS Server: Apple created the macOS Server, a server operating system based on macOS that resembles
UNIX. The operating system extends macOS by including tools for managing iOS and macOS devices,
server capabilities, and system management. Given its ease of creating features for Mac clients, the macOS
Server is an excellent option if you employ Mac clients in your network.
 Types of Server Operating System
• Netware Operating System: it is a server-based network operating system, the network must
have a dedicated server. The NetWare operating system was popular in the local area network
(LAN) of early computer networks. It was created by Novell in the early 1980s. Large-capacity
physical memory management and multiprocessor support may be supported by NetWare series
operating systems.
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux: Red Hat is the company that started this for-profit Linux
distribution. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is offered in desktop and server versions for IBM Z,
ARM64, and x86-64. Red Hat, Red Hat Certification Program's official support and training are
focused on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform.
• FreeBSD: Open-source and free, FreeBSD is an operating system that resembles Unix. The
operating system provides the kernel, drivers, utilities, documentation, and a vast library of
server-related applications, maintaining an entire system. As a result, setting up FreeBSD as a
mail server, web server, firewall, etc. is simple.
Advantages of Server Operating System
• Growth in savings and a reduction in idle time a company can increase their savings
by reducing downtime.

• A faster network-supporting system can accommodate more users and storage

capacities.

• It helps to lessen dependency on physical servers, which increases savings.

• It computes the anticipated growth of the business network to guarantee long-term
viability.
Disadvantages of Server Operating System

• It can be challenging to scale a server operating system and may need a

substantial investment in additional hardware or software.
• Server OS can use a lot of energy, which raises energy costs and increases
carbon emissions.
• Loss of personal user control over data, software, and peripherals.
• Businesses may suffer large losses as a result of cyberattacks and data breaches
that compromise server operating systems.
 What is System administration?
• System administration refers to the management of one or more hardware and
software systems.
 Who perform System Administration?
The task is performed by a system administrator who monitors system health,
monitors and allocates system resources like disk space, performs backups,
provides user access, manages user accounts, monitors system security and
performs many other functions
 Duties of a system administrator
A system administrator, or sysadmin, is an IT professional who is responsible for maintaining and supporting an
organization's computer systems, networks, and servers. Their duties include:
• Installing and configuring: Setting up hardware, software, and network infrastructure
• Troubleshooting: Diagnosing and fixing issues that arise
• Security: Ensuring the security of the IT infrastructure
• Monitoring: Keeping an eye on system performance
• Data backup: Backing up data
• User accounts: Managing user accounts
• Software updates: Managing software updates and security patches
• Recommending: Suggesting computer system designs based on the client's needs
 Server System Architecture
• Server System Architecture refers to the design and organization of the
components and processes within a server that work together to perform
tasks and provide services. A server system's architecture determines how
hardware, software, and networking elements interact to manage and store
data, process requests, and deliver content or services to users
Components of Server System Architecture
1. Hardware Components:
1. CPU (Central Processing Unit): The brain of the server, responsible for executing instructions. Multi-core
processors are commonly used for higher processing power and handling multiple tasks simultaneously.
2. Memory (RAM): Temporary storage used by the CPU to store data that's actively in use. The more RAM a server
has, the more tasks it can handle concurrently.
3. Storage (Disk Drives): Permanent storage that holds the operating system, software applications, and data. This
can be in the form of traditional hard drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), or network-attached storage (NAS).
4. Network Interface: Components like Network Interface Cards (NICs) that allow the server to communicate with
other devices or the internet via wired or wireless connections.
5. Motherboard: The main circuit board where all hardware components are connected and communicate with each
other.
6. Power Supply Unit (PSU): Provides electrical power to the server's hardware components.
 Components of Server System Architecture cont’

Software Components:
• Operating System (OS): The software that runs on the server and manages hardware
resources, software, and network communication. Popular server operating systems include
Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.), Windows Server, and Unix.
• Server Software: Specific software that enables the server to fulfill its intended role. This could
include web server software (e.g., Apache, Nginx), database management software (e.g.,
MySQL, SQL Server), and application servers.
• Virtualization Software: Tools like VMware, Hyper-V, or KVM that allow the server to run
multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical server, maximizing resource utilization and
providing flexibility.
• Firmware: Low-level software that allows the hardware to communicate with the OS and
software applications. BIOS or UEFI are common firmware types in servers.
 Components of Server System Architecture cont’

• Network Architecture:
• Networking Protocols: Servers use networking protocols to communicate,
including TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) for
communication over the internet or LAN (Local Area Network), HTTP/HTTPS
for web traffic, FTP for file transfers, and SMTP for email.
• Ports: Servers listen on specific ports to handle incoming traffic. Common ports
include Port 80 (HTTP), Port 443 (HTTPS), Port 25 (SMTP), etc.
• Firewall: A security device or software that monitors and controls incoming and
outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
 Server Types Architectures
• Single Server Architecture: A basic architecture where a single physical server handles all tasks (e.g.,
web hosting, database, file serving). It is simple but lacks scalability.
• Client-Server Architecture: A model where a server provides services to clients (e.g., users or
devices) over a network. a computing model that separates tasks and workloads between clients and
servers The server handles requests, while clients interact with it through applications or browsers.
• Multi-tier Architecture: a software design pattern that separates different software components into
distinct layers, or tiers, to improve scalability and organization. A distributed model where tasks are
divided into different layers or "tiers." For example, in a three-tier architecture:
• Presentation Layer (Web Server): Handles client requests via HTTP.
• Application Layer (Business Logic): Processes data and logic, often hosted on a separate server.
• Data Layer (Database Server): Stores and retrieves data from a database.
• Cloud Architecture: A server system hosted on cloud services like Amazon Web Services (AWS),
Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.
Single Server Architecture
Client-Server Architecture:
Multi-tier Architecture
 P2P
Stands for "Peer to Peer." In a P2P network, the "peers" are computer systems
which are connected to each other via the Internet.
▪ Files can be shared directly without the need of a central server.
▪ P2P use a distributed architecture.
▪ The computers or devices that are part of a peer-to-peer network are called
peers.
▪ There are no privileged peers, and there is no central administrator device
P2P Network architect
 What do P2P (peer-to-peer) networks do?

• The primary purpose of peer-to-peer networks is to share resources and help

computers and devices work collaboratively, to deliver a specific service or
perform a particular task.
 Security Concerns
Like client-server networks, peer-to-peer networks are vulnerable to security
attacks.
• Because each device participates in communication hackers can easily launch
denial of service attacks(DoS).
• P2P software acts as server and client, which makes peer-to-peer networks
more vulnerable to remote attacks than client-server networks.
• Data that is corrupt can be shared on P2P networks by modifying files that
are already on the network to introduce malicious code.
 Client-Server Network
A Computer networking model where one or more powerful computers (servers)
provide network services and all other computers (clients) access those services to
perform user's tasks.
❖ A server is a specialized computer that controls the network resources and provides
services to other computers in the network.
❖ A server performs all the major operations like security and network management.
❖ A server is also responsible for managing all the network resources such as files,
directories, applications & shared devices like printer etc.
❖ If any of the clients wants to access these services, it first seeks permission from the
server by sending a request.
Client-Server Network
 Advantages of Client Server Networks
▪ Centralized back up is possible.
▪ Use of dedicated server improves the performance of whole system.
▪ Security is better in these networks as all the shared resources are centrally
administered.
▪ Use of dedicated servers also increases the speed of sharing resources
 Disadvantages of Client Server Networks

▪ It requires specialized servers with large memory and secondary storage. This
leads to increase in the cost.
▪ The cost of network operating system that manages the various clients is
also high.
▪ It requires dedicated network administrator.
▪ Traffic congestion is a problem in this system.
States of machines or Process Life Cycle
States of machines or Process Life Cycle
 States of machines or Process Life Cycle

• Start: This is the initial state when a process is first started/created.

• Ready: The process is waiting to be assigned to a processor.
• Running: processor executes its instructions.
• Waiting: Process moves into the waiting state if it needs to wait for a resource,
such as waiting for user input, or waiting for a file to become available.
• Terminated or Exit: the process is moved to the terminated state where it
waits to be removed from main memory.
 Server Types
• List Server
• Telnet Server
• Open-Source Server
• Virtual Server
• Print server
• Communications server
• Database server
• Application server
• Domain server
• Etc….
 Server Types
• A list server (mailing list server) is a program that handles subscription
requests for a mailing list and distributes new messages, newsletters, or other
postings to the entire list of subscribers as they occur or are scheduled for
advertising purpose.
• Telnet Server: A Telnet server enables users to log on to a host computer
and perform tasks as if they're working on the remote computer itself.
Using telnet client software on your computer, you can make a connection to
a telnet server (i.e., the remote host).
 Server Types
• Open-Source Server: In general, open source refers to any program
whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other
developers see fit. Open-source software is usually developed as a public
collaboration and made freely available. Eg Apache HTTP Server, Apache
Tomcat
• Virtual Server: A virtual server is a server that shares hardware and software
resources with other operating systems (OS), versus dedicated servers.
 Server Types
• Print server: Manages the printers that are connected to the network and
the printing of user documents on the network printers
• Communications server: Handles many common communications
functions for the network, such as e-mail, fax, remote access, firewalls or
Internet services
• Database server: Manages common databases for the network, handling all
data storage, database management and requests for data
 Server Types
• Application Server: An application server is a software framework that provides
both facilities to create web applications and a server environment to run them. It
sits between the network and the database,
• Proxy Server: A proxy server sits between a client program (typically a Web
browser) and an external server (typically another server on the Web) to filter
requests, improve performance, and share connections.
• Mail Server: Mail servers send and receive email using standard email protocols.
For example, the SMTP protocol sends messages and handles
outgoing mail requests. The IMAP and POP3 protocols receive messages and are
used to process incoming mail.
 Server Types
• Server Platforms: A family of servers that includes the hardware and
operating system. For example, the Windows server platform refers to x86
CPUs and some server version of Windows such as Windows Server 2012.
• A Web server: is a program that uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
to serve the files that form Web pages to users, in response to their requests,
which are forwarded by their computers' HTTP clients. Dedicated
computers and appliances may be referred to as Web servers as well.
 Server Types
• FTP Server: In the client/server model, a file server is a computer
responsible for the central storage and management of data files so that
other computers on the same network can access the files. ... A program or
mechanism that enables the required processes for file sharing can also be
called a file server.
• Collaboration Server: Collaboration software designed to enable users to
collaborate, regardless of location, via the Internet or a corporate intranet
and to work together in a virtual atmosphere.
 What is Virtualization?
• Virtualization means to create a virtual version of a device or resource, such
as a server, storage device, network or even an operating system where the
framework divides the resource into one or more execution environments.
• Virtualization uses software to create an abstraction layer over the physical
hardware. In doing so, it creates a virtual compute system, known as virtual
machines (VMs). This allows organizations to run multiple virtual computers,
operating systems and applications on a single physical server—essentially
partitioning it into multiple virtual servers.
 What is a virtual machine (VM)?
• In the simplest terms possible, a virtual machine (VM) is a virtual
representation of a physical computer. As mentioned earlier, virtualization
allows an organization to create multiple virtual machines—each with their
own operating system (OS) and applications—on a single physical machine.
 What is hypervisor or virtual machine
monitor (VMM)?
• A hypervisor is a program (software) that creates and runs virtual machines it
would enable you to host several different virtual machines on a single hardware.
• The hypervisor is essential to virtualization—it’s a thin software layer that allows
multiple operating systems to run alongside each other and share the same physical
computing resources. These operating systems come as the aforementioned virtual
machines (VMs)—virtual representations of a physical computer—and the
hypervisor assigns each VM its own portion of the underlying computing power,
memory and storage. This prevents the VMs from interfering with each other.
 Why implement virtualization in organization?

• Reduced Hardware Costs: Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines (VMs)

to run on a single physical server, reducing the need for physical hardware and
lowering upfront capital expenditures.
• Lower Energy Costs: Fewer physical servers mean reduced power consumption,
cooling needs, and associated maintenance costs.
• Maximized Server Utilization: Virtualization enables better utilization of
hardware resources (CPU, memory, and storage), allowing servers to run at higher
capacities rather than being underutilized.
• Consolidation of Servers: It helps consolidate multiple workloads onto fewer
physical machines, making resource allocation more efficient and cost-effective.
 Why implement virtualization in organization?

• Easier Scaling: Virtual machines can be easily scaled up or down in response to changing
workloads or business needs, providing the flexibility to add or remove resources quickly.
• Multiple OS Support: Virtualization allows different operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc.) to
run simultaneously on the same physical machine, enabling a diverse and flexible IT environment.
• Faster Backup and Recovery: Virtualization simplifies disaster recovery by enabling quick
snapshots, cloning, and easy migration of VMs between hosts, reducing downtime in case of
failure.
• Centralized Management: Virtualization tools and platforms (like VMware vSphere, Microsoft
Hyper-V) provide centralized management consoles for easier monitoring and administration of
multiple virtual machines and physical servers.
• Automation and Efficiency: Virtual environments enable automation of routine tasks like VM
provisioning, patch management, and load balancing, reducing administrative overhead.
Thank you