Guides

Configuration management (CM) is an effective strategy designed to help organizations govern control policies and maintain server and data integrity. Configuration management provides visibility into how systems and controls rely on each other, informing network stakeholders of the potential impact of change to network components, or "controls." Once called configuration management databases (CMDB) and also referred to as configuration management systems (CMS), these tools offer...

Maintaining and safeguarding code is an inherent part of the software development lifecycle. For developers, software programs are a never-ending work in progress. From adding new features, revising code, and resolving vulnerabilities, software publishers release updates or patches to ensure their software applications remain fully functional and secure. For clients, legacy or outdated software tools can appear harmless — but the reality is that most...

When you have a fleet of devices, multiple printers, or geographically distant office locations, a print server is a mechanism that provides adequate management and control. Print servers are high-powered appliances or software that help organizations manage files in a printing queue and facilitate the user-printer workflow.  Today, print servers can be physical or cloud-based systems that connect devices to specific network printers. Office staff...

For network access and policy management capabilities, Microsoft’s RADIUS server and proxy tool is the Network Policy Server (NPS). NPS offers authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA), enables the use of heterogeneous network equipment and ensures the health of network devices.  The RADIUS protocol provides the configuration and management of authentication for network clients central to NPS functionality. Current editions of NPS are installable via the...

Powering the apps, programs, and tools we've come to love, servers devoted to the operational use of data are known as database servers. Database servers are high-powered computers that store and manage data stored on a server for a network of users and devices. The terms database servers, database management systems (DBMS), and relational DBMS (RDBMS) get used interchangeably, but RDMBS is the most often...

A file transfer protocol (FTP) server is an intermediary for transferring files between computers on a network. While FTP servers traditionally were a physical unit in an organization’s back end, the adoption of SaaS technology brings those capabilities to the cloud. In either environment, FTP servers are the storage mechanisms that provide the secure transfer of files of varying weights and file formats.  On-premises FTP servers...

Tower servers are a type of server form factor that comes as a standalone, upright cabinet, also known as a chassis configuration. By appearance, tower servers resemble traditional desktop tower computers and are considered the most affordable server option. Tower servers are best deployed by smaller organizations that don’t need a full data center. Tower servers use minimal components and software, making it easier for...

File servers are high-powered computers that enable data sharing for a network of users, devices, and clients.  One of the earliest uses of servers was for the simple storage and management of data on an on-premises network. File servers are a central database for the network where permitted devices can access files hosted by the file server, save progress after editing, and ensure the file...