A server is a physical computer dedicated to run one or more services to serve the needs of the users of other computers on the network. Depending on the computing service that it offers it could be a database server, file server, mail server, print server, web server, gaming server or some other kind of server.

Server often provide essential services across a network, either to private users inside the organisation or to public users via internet.

A network server is a computer designed to process requests and deliver data to other (client) computers over a local network or the Internet. Network servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory and storage capacity to handle the load of servicing clients.

Numerous systems use this client / server networking model including Web sites and email services. An alternative model, peer-to-peer networking enables all computers to act as either a server or client as needed.