Glossary A–ZLetter S
Server
A server is a computer or program that provides services to other devices on the network, such as data, web pages or files.
The devices that use these services are called clients.
In a screen network, the server runs the management software with its database and media storage; the players are clients that fetch schedules and files from it and report their status. The server may sit with the provider in the cloud, in the operator’s own data centre or as a small device on the company network. Many servers now run as virtual machines or in containers.
Anyone running their own server is responsible for updates, backups, certificates and monitoring. If the server fails, well-built players keep playing what they have stored, but changes do not reach them. Performance must match the number of devices and the size of the media; with many players, what counts most is how quickly the server handles requests and downloads. In everyday speech, “server” sometimes means the hardware and sometimes the software running on it.