What exactly does a server do?

like i want to start a game hosting business in a few years and im trying to find out what stuff does im curious what a server exactly use and one more question do you think an oc3 interent line work for make a game hosting company

In general a 'server' is something that 'serves' something(s) to something(s) else called client(s)
There are many different kinds of servers.
One might serve you drinks.
Another might serve up file space. (file server)
Another might serve up application operations. (application server)
Another might serve up web pages. (web server)
For a game hosting business, you would might want to serve up web pages with flash games, or maybe run one or more MMORPG games on the 'server' and serve up game connections (game server). You would be concerned with security, so no one plays for free or mucks your clients accounts. You would want redundant/backup servers so that any single server failure would not be seen by customers.

I am unfamiliar with oc3, buy many areas have 'low-cost' fiber connections. I am on utopia (http://www.utopianet.org/) and pay $40/month for 15Meg. They provide connections up to 100Meg. In "a few years" these will probably be everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_(com...

This Will Tell You

I wish I had your money. If you can afford an OC3, then you can hire people to set up your servers. You will need several server types for a center. Need to have protection fronts for the main game unit. IIS units etc.

"an oc3 interent line work for make a game hosting company"
this doesn't make much sense.
A server is a computer with a lot of storage that handles requests for information over a network (or phone lines) and returns the information according to the request. It usually handles security. In more recent times, with "server based applications" and "server databases" it holds applications which it can load and then only sends the screen image of the result. Server software is typically multi user meaning it reserves part of memory for each users and jumps rapidly from one job to the next. Think of it like the director of a TV sports show coordinating and directing the flow from many cameras and devices to a single resource (the show) but more in the reverse - from a single resource to many users - like his directions on what to set up next.

Server is a hardware that saves your information and process it upon request from the user or the host. Servers are of many types. For Example there's a webserver. Like every website uses to host their websites and process applications and other tasks.
If you want to start a game hosting business you will need a server for sure, that connects users .. process multi-tasking operations .. authenticate users and do other similar tasks.

Hi
a server is a computer that gives the data to the network (internet etc...)
without a server data can't be transferred between computers
I wish you good luck
moustafadafer@yahoo.com

a server is a computer that host resources for other computer on a network think of it as similiar to a library but not exactly its not only use to store data but also to be able control permission as which user can do what at which user can't there many types of server such web server dns server pop3 imap4 server ftp server are just some a server can give you control over network and is vital to your network when security and data is a issue. plus on the size of your network