A file server is a computer used for centralized data storage on a network. It can be any modern computer and is often used for data sharing and backup. File servers can run on standard or specialized operating systems and are vulnerable to performance degradation and attacks.
A file server is a computer connected to a network, most often a local area network (LAN), whose primary function is to serve as centralized data storage for multiple machines as part of the computer network client-server model. They are available in different hardware and software configurations. File servers are sometimes used to back up critical data. A typical file server will be configured to send and receive files only and will not run any active processes for users. They can also be configured to distribute data over the Internet using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol).
Any modern computer can be configured to act as a file server. A simple personal computer that shares music files on a home network functions as a file server. In larger organizations, file servers are usually dedicated computers, often with very large arrays of storage devices. The most specialized form of file server commonly used in a modern computing scheme are computers specifically designed to serve as file servers only. These dedicated devices provide network attached storage (NAS) using hardware that is typically configured to maximize only their performance in data storage and sharing and includes only basic input/output and processing capabilities.
File servers can run using standard or specialized operating systems. All modern operating systems are designed to allow computers to act as file servers. The Linux operating system enjoys considerable popularity on file servers both for its reputation for stability and for economic reasons. Windows® and UNIX® are also often used as file server operating systems. NAS drives can use standard operating system versions, but they can also use specialized operating systems with limited functions.
File servers are commonly encountered in situations where sharing data is beneficial. Large networks use file servers to facilitate data sharing between users. Networked systems that use centralized file servers are also easier to protect because all files are located on centrally located hardware and can be backed up more easily.
All file servers will occasionally experience performance degradation when data demand is particularly high, but Internet-facing servers are also vulnerable to attack. Denial of Service or Distributed Denial of Service (DoS or DDoS) attacks have often been used against Internet-connected file servers. Either way, attackers flood a file server with so many malicious requests for data that legitimate requests are often lost or unacceptably delayed.
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