Which statement best describes a server?

Which statement best describes a server?

• A. A client program that runs user applications locally
• B. A system entity that provides a service
• C. A storage device with no processing
• D. A workstation that only consumes data

Answer: (B)

A server is defined by the role it plays in a network: it waits for requests and provides responses or resources. It can be hardware, software, or both, set up to offer services such as web pages, files, databases, or authentication to other computers (clients) that request them. This service-providing role is what makes it a server, rather than a client that asks for things. A storage device with no processing wouldn’t be able to respond to requests or run services, so it isn’t a server. Similarly, a workstation that only consumes data is functioning as a client, not a server. So the best description is a system entity that provides a service.

A server is defined by the role it plays in a network: it waits for requests and provides responses or resources. It can be hardware, software, or both, set up to offer services such as web pages, files, databases, or authentication to other computers (clients) that request them. This service-providing role is what makes it a server, rather than a client that asks for things. A storage device with no processing wouldn’t be able to respond to requests or run services, so it isn’t a server. Similarly, a workstation that only consumes data is functioning as a client, not a server. So the best description is a system entity that provides a service.