In Feburary 2016 29,
The first and most obvious thing you will need to have your own server is an Internet connection. This connection can be dedicated to the server or shared with other computers, however, there are a few things to consider when choosing an service plan for a server. The first is upstream speed. Because most Internet users download far more data than they upload to the Internet, most service plans have a drastically higher downstream speed than upstream speed. The amount needed will vary according to the type of server you wish to run. So it’s important to estimate your needs and, when shopping for service, read the fine print to ensure that the plan provides enough upstream bandwidth.
Static Internet Protocol (IP) Address
The other important consideration when shopping for service is how IP addresses are assigned. An IP address is a number that is used to identify a computer on the Internet. With most service plans, this number will often change each time a computer reconnects. This is called a Dynamic IP address. This works fine, unless you have a server that intends to have its own domain name. Domain names (such as www.ehow.com) must be looked up using a special service to translate them into a server’s IP address. However, if a server’s IP address is constantly changing, this can create problems when users try to look up your server by domain name. Therefore, it is important to purchase a Internet service plan that promises you a Static IP, one that does not change.
Dedicated Computer
While it’s quite possible to use a server computer as a desktop computer also, there are a number of reasons why this is not advisable. The biggest reason is security: servers are visible to the Internet in a way that a well-maintained desktop system usually isn’t. Running server software is essentially opening a window into a computer that is usually kept closed and locked.
Server Software
You will need software to serve the content you wish to serve. What you choose will depend on your own needs. If you wish to serve a website, the open source and very widely used program Apache is the most common. If you wish to serve an online game, you will need server software from the game’s publishers.
Security Software
Finally, and sadly, you will need security software. While you ought to have security software such as antivirus protection and a firewall running on every machine in your network, this becomes doubly important with a server. As mentioned above: running server software opens gateways into your computer that are normally left closed, and that makes it easier and more likely that your computer will be targeted by malicious hackers.
In Feburary 2016 29,
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