Basic info: Computer, Server, Modem, Network and Work Station

A computer is an electronic device which can be used to process, store or transfer data. A basic computer model consists of hardware and software. The external elements of a computer or its physical structure are known as hardware. For example Motherboard, Graphics card, Keyboard, CPU etc. Software is a set of instructions embedded in a computer system through which it accepts and acts on commands. For example: Word processors, games or web browsers. The operating system of a computer is also considered as software.

A computer has evolved over the years in size, proficiency, functioning, shape and every other aspect. Despite technology making old computers obsolete with new models, the necessity of computers hasn’t died yet. Even with laptops (which are considered a modern form of computer) and mobile phones which are basically compact computers, an entire computer setup with monitor and CPU is still used in office spaces and by those requiring higher features than flexibility.

Video Editors, Hackers, officials and Gamers still prefer using computers in workspaces.

Network

Like a spider’s web, a network is basically the interconnection between devices. A collection of computers, servers or mainframes connected in a way so as to be able to share data will be called a network. There are various types of a computer network such as the Home Area Network, local-area Network (LANs), Wide-area Network (WANs), Campus Area Networks (CANs), Metropolitan Area Network (MANs).

The biggest example of a network is the internet which connects over a billion people together from all around the world. ARPANET in the 1960s was the first known network but in today’s time, the term ‘Network’ seems to be evolving. In times of social media, Network is also taken to be meant as the people one is connected to i.e. Social circle. Another name of social media is taken as a social networking site because they connect people with one another.

Internet network is accessed by people through various network devices as provided by network providers.

Server

A server serves the network or information to other computers. A server is basically a computer programme or device that provides functionality for ‘clients’. This architecture functions as a client-server model providing various services such as sharing data or performing computations.

It serves the signal after processing through satellites.  A server may serve different clients and a client may utilize different servers. There are different types of servers such as database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers.

Websites also utilize servers for performing certain action and sharing the load of traffic. Managing a server requires hardware and often entire setups are required by big servers. Large servers are run without interruptions for a long time.

Modem

A modem is a short form of modulator/demodulator. It is a hardware component required to connect to the internet. It converts the analogue signals from telephone or cable wire to a digital signal which is alter captured by the router or device which needs to be connected to the internet.

Modems have also seen the evolution from usual Broadbands to wi-fi in today’s time. The first modems required dial-up to connect to Internet Service Provider. Modern modems are DSL modem. With Fiber to the home (FTTH) which is optic fibre, the requirement of modems has decreased because the signals are transmitted digitally from end to end.

Modems are classified by the amount of data they can send in a unit of time i.e bits per second or bytes per second. With mobile data becoming overwhelmingly available with the hegemony of Jio in Network providers, modems are also becoming slowly obsolete.

Work station

Workstation is a term which refers to several computers placed together connected to a single network having a multi-user operating system. Work stations offer higher performance than mainstream computers. Workstations are mainly required in IT cells and corporate houses.

Though with the world at the fingertips of people today because of compact laptops, tabs and smartphones, people don’t wish to work in office spaces. Yet, some corporate houses demand work from office hours because a team working in coordination is more productive. In new media as well, with reporting desk closely aligned with the editor, image editor, video editor and so on, work stations are the preferred choice.