Server appliance
A server appliance is a computer appliance that works as a server.
Description
It is designed so that the end-user does not need to understand the details of the operating system or the commands associated with it.
Server appliances have their hardware and software preconfigured by the manufacturer.
The appliance is plugged into an existing network and is turned on by the end-user.
The user selects the components to be active, through a simple user interface, and the appliance then boots to an active state, which is usable within minutes.
Server appliances are designed to run and be controlled remotely after the initial set-up.
The units are designed to be very easy to operate and provide narrow selection of network services.
Examples
Examples of server appliances include:
- Google Search Appliance, a search appliance designed for indexing corporate websites and returning these results.
- ASA Firewall, a security appliance designed to protect IP networks from unwanted inbound traffic.
- IBM's Lotus Foundations which is designed to offer IT infrastructure services for the small to midsize business.
External links
- Server appliance @ Wikipedia
