Thirty printers, one mess
A school has 30 printers and 800 computers. If each computer holds its own list of printers, every new printer means 800 visits.
And where does a teacher save a worksheet so that every class can open it? A file on one laptop is no use when the laptop is shut.
Two servers solve both problems.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Client-server network | a network where client devices ask a central server for services |
| File server | a server that stores shared files and gives out access to them |
| Share | a folder that the server makes available to other devices |
| Permission | a rule that says what an account may do |
| DFS | distributed file system, one set of folder names that can sit on many servers |
| Namespace | the single tree of folder names that people see in DFS |
| Replication | copying folders between servers so each has the same files |
| Print server | a server that shares printers and holds the print queue |
| Print queue | the list of print jobs that are waiting |
| Driver | software that lets a computer talk to a device such as a printer |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can explain what a file server, DFS and a print server do and say why a college uses them.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
The file server: shared disk access
A file server has big disks and shares folders on the network. Each shared folder is a share.
The server checks who you are, then applies permissions. A teacher may read and write the "Maths" share. A student may only read it.
Everyone sees the same copy. One backup of the server covers every file.
Shares and who can do what
| Share | Maths staff | Students | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths resources | Read and write | Read only | Staff update it, students use it |
| Student work | Read only | Own folder only | Work stays private |
| Office | No access | No access | Only office staff are in the group |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Quick check
Have a go
Quick check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.