Server

At its core, a server is a computer, but it is very different from a personal computer. It is an enterprise-grade computer designed to provide special functions and services to users over the internet. Users who connect to servers via their personal computers or mobile devices will benefit from tools and resources that would not be available otherwise.

Because servers are integral to the IT infrastructure, they are often housed in server rooms or data centers designed to ensure optimal performance and high availability. The proliferation of servers has paved the way for other high tech applications, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, edge computing, and more. In short, servers are the driving force revolutionizing the way we go about our day-to-day lives.

Servers are used because no single computer can be expected to fulfill every role and perform every function. Through a process known as the request-response or request-reply model, users can make a "request" to servers on the internet; the request may be to check emails, stream a video, order a taxi, or something more complicated, like reading a license plate with computer vision and tolling the vehicle owner. The servers compile the data and run the calculations necessary to respond to the request. Every minute of every day, servers are doing this for millions of users.

As servers do more and more for us, server types have become more diversified. To list just a few examples, servers used for scientific research may be loaded with powerful CPUs and GPUs to enable high performance computing (HPC); a media server may provide high data storage capacity and network bandwidth to store and stream a vast library of content; a server deployed on the edge of the network may need to cram a lot of computing power into a small chassis while still maintaining smooth and reliable operations. Because of this, purchasers are careful to select exactly the right features for the task at hand. They are attentive to the types of processors inside the servers, the instruction set architecture (ISA) of said processors, the peripheral cooling system that supports the servers, etc. The market is filled with many different types of server solutions for operators to choose from.

One size does not fit all when it comes to servers. Since they are meant to serve specific roles within the IT infrastructure, it is imperative to find the ideal server for each role. Fortunately, GIGABYTE Technology has a complete product line of server solutions. A good way to understand them all at a glance is to separate them by functions, by processor ISAs, and by cooling systems.

Functions: If you are looking for servers that leverage the synergy between CPUs and GPGPUs through heterogeneous computing to accelerate your processing, GIGABYTE's G-Series GPU Servers are what you need. If you need a lot of computing power in a highly dense configuration, you can consider the H-Series High Density Servers. R-Series Rack Servers are for general-purpose use, while S-Series Storage Servers are ideal for data storage. E-Series Edge Servers have smaller chassis for easy deployment on the edge, while W-Series Workstations bring enterprise-grade computing to your desktop if you don't have the physical space for a server room.

Processor ISAs: If you are looking for CISC processors, GIGABYTE servers support mainstream x86 CPUs such as Intel® Xeon® Scalable and AMD EPYC™. Such processors benefit from a well-established ecosystem and multithread computing functions. If you are looking for RISC processors, you cannot go wrong with Ampere® Altra® and Altra® Max processors based on the ARM architecture. These cloud-native processors can improve the servers' efficiency if they will often be working with mobile devices; they also offer an astounding number of cores per CPU.

Cooling systems: As we work together to reduce carbon emissions, green computing server solutions are becoming more popular with eco-conscious enterprise customers. The trick is to cool down the powerful processors inside the servers without using too much additional power. Not only do GIGABYTE's standard air-cooled servers benefit from highly efficient proprietary structural designs, GIGABYTE also offers liquid cooling and immersion cooling solutions to further improve the PUE of data centers. Japan's telecom leader KDDI and Taiwan's foremost semiconductor giant are just two examples of how immersion cooling can make servers perform better in a sustainable manner.