Just like how our body part are essential to our daily living. Eyes for seeing and confirming accurate info, hands for doing things. The servers and data center are also integral in the technology space. They power the technologies in todays world whether the provider are using in premises or cloud computing.
What Is a Server?
A server is a powerful computer that provides data or services to other devices. For example, when you stream a movie, send an email, or fetch weather updates, a server is behind the scenes, delivering that information to your device.
Servers can be specialized for different tasks, such as:
Web Servers: Delivering websites to your browser.
Database Servers: Storing and managing data.
Mail Servers: Handling emails.
Servers come in two types:
Server Hardware: Optimized for performance with more memory, CPUs, and network interfaces than your typical computer.
Desktop Hardware: What you use at home or work, built for general tasks.
Where Do Servers Live?
Servers live in data centers. A data center is like a big warehouse for servers. It’s a physical space where companies store all the equipment needed to power their tech: servers, storage devices, networking gear, cooling systems, and even backup power (like uninterruptible power supplies, or UPS).
On-Premises vs. Cloud:
On-Premises: Companies handle everything from A to Z; buying equipment, hiring staff, running and maintaining the infrastructure.
Cloud Model: Cloud providers like AWS, Azure, or GCP take care of all that. They give you the resources you need (like storage or computing power), and you pay for what you use.
Virtual Machines (VM)
A VM is a computer inside another computer. It runs its own operating system (e.g., Windows or Linux) and operates as if it’s an independent machine. Imagine your computer running Windows, but you also want to run Linux without buying another computer. With a VM, that’s possible! A VM is like a "mini-computer" running inside your computer. It uses software (called a hypervisor) to create multiple operating systems on the same hardware.
Why is this useful?
Efficiency: Instead of dedicating one physical server to one task, multiple VMs can run on a single server.
Cost-Saving: You only pay for the resources you use.
Scalability: Need more power? Add another VM.
In the cloud, VMs are fundamental. They allow you to scale up or down as needed, making cloud computing cost-effective and flexible.
The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Here’s a fun way to think about building software: it’s like baking a cake! You start with a plan (what type of cake you want), gather ingredients (tools), follow the recipe (process), and adjust based on taste (feedback).
In tech, this process is called the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), which includes:
Analyze: Understand the problem.
Design: Create a solution plan.
Develop: Build the product.
Test: Make sure everything works.
Implement: Launch it.
Maintain: Keep it running smoothly.
This process is universal, it’s like the design world’s double diamond process (discover, define, ideate, and test). Every industry uses a similar system to ensure quality and efficiency.
Explain It Like I’m 5
Let’s keep it simple:
A server is like a vending machine; it gives you what you request (data or services).
A data center is like a vending machine warehouse; it houses all the machines and keeps them running smoothly.
A VM is like dividing one big vending machine into smaller ones, each serving a different purpose.
Cloud computing is when you don’t own the vending machines, you borrow them from someone else and only pay for what you use.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of servers, data centers, and cloud fundamentals, we’ll dive deeper into What is AWS in the next post.
Stay curious.
Love & Cloud,
Babsbarokah