Networking Bible

Chapter 6. Servers and Systems

IN THIS CHAPTER

• The most common types of network servers

• The range of network services

• Measuring network performance

• How to model networks and find bottlenecks

In this chapter, principles relating to servers and services on a network are presented. Different server types are considered, a server being described as a software application that provides a service to other networked systems. Because servers come in all shapes and sizes, a process model for a server system is shown.

Right-sizing server services by determining capacity and loading is an important part of having a well-functioning network. Different approaches to capacity planning include maintaining excess capacity, adding capacity as required, or matching capacity to demand. Projects that add server capacity to networks are best handled as part of a solution framework in a phased project. Different methodologies that you can use are described in this chapter.

To improve network performance, you need to be able to define the different levels of service that the network performs. Deconstructing response time into its components, measuring throughput, and defining network reliability, scalability, and other factors allow you to define the performance characteristics of a network.

In this chapter, you learn about different measurable performance data characteristics that you can use to derive fundamental network relationships. These relationships help you to determine which network resource is the ...