PC vs Server
PC stands for Personal Computer and has become the general term for all desktop computers. The term is often used loosely and is used to identify any computer that uses the AT and ATX form factor. The term ‘server’ is also a widely used term to describe any hardware or software that provides services meant for use in networks, whether local or wide. A PC that hosts a server of any kind is usually referred to as a server computer or plain server.
We are already very familiar with what a personal computer is since it has slowly become an intricate part of life for most of us. The term was originally meant to point out slower computers that are not suitable for the more complicated and taxing applications that are often run in a corporate server, and are therefore restricted to personal use. This has become largely untrue today since most personal computers are able to host almost any kind of server.
Servers exist in a very wide variety of configurations and applications. There are HTTP servers, DNS server, mail servers, game server, and many more. Though it is possible to use PCs to host servers, most of the bigger companies do not do this since the loads that they often experience are far greater than what a regular PC can handle. For most business applications, high end computer servers or mainframes are used to keep thousands of users happy at the same time. These machines are way more advanced and complex than a PC.
Servers are also kept running for extended periods of time in order to prevent uninterrupted service to clients all over the world. This requirement led to the development of technologies that are not common or present in PCs. Redundancy is very essential in servers since it allows components of the computers to fail without bringing down the whole system. Hard drives and power supplies in a server are often redundant and can be replaced with minimal or no disruption to the service.
Summary:
1. A PC is a collection of hardware while a server can either be hardware or software
2. A single PC can host multiple servers at the same time but with a limited number of users
3. Most serious businesses utilized high end servers with hardware that are not usually found in PCs to cope with great demands
4. Servers are kept running for weeks or months at a time and requires redundant systems to cope with failure