Web Server can refer to either the hardware (the computer) or the software (the computer application) that helps to deliver content that can be accessed through the Internet.
The primary function of a web server is to deliver web pages on the request to clients. This means delivery of HTML documents and any additional content that may be included by a document, such as images, style sheets and scripts.
The most common use of web servers is to host web sites but there are other uses like data storage or for running enterprise applications.
The web server provides the content and the web browser displays it to the user. At the simplest,a web server sends static files, such as static HTML or image files, through an HTTP connection to a web browser.
Modern web servers do far more, however. When a web server receives a request, some of the actions it takes are to:
1. Verify that the request is structured legitimately.
Sometimes, malicious clients send malformed web requests to compromise web servers. Web servers must be able to detect this and respond appropriately—usually by ignoring the request.
2. Authenticate itself.
If the server has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate and the request was made with HTTPS, the web browser uses the certificate to authenticate the server. The web server will also encrypt all content before returning it to the web browser.
3. Authenticate the user.
If the content requires authorization, the web server verifies that the user has submitted credentials. If the user has not been authenticated, the web server redirects the user to an authentication form.
4. Authorize the user.
After the Web server authenticates the user, the web server verifies that the user is allowed to access the requested content.
5. Determine how to handle a request.
If the web browser requested static content or was simply determining whether cached content could still be used, the web server can directly respond. If the web browser requested an ASP.NET page, the web server must forward the request to ASP.NET.
6. Handle errors.
If a server cannot process the user’s request, it provides error information to the web browser.
7. Cache output.
Web servers can cache output to improve the response time of subsequent requests. Web servers also provide caching information to web browsers, so browsers know how long to keep content cached.
8. Compress output.
Before returning a page to a web browser, a web server can compress the content to reduce the bandwidth required.
9. Log access.
Web servers typically record usage information for security and performance-monitoring purposes.
For more information about web server see following links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_server
http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/basics/what_is_web_server.php
http://create-website.org/concepts/webserver.html
The primary function of a web server is to deliver web pages on the request to clients. This means delivery of HTML documents and any additional content that may be included by a document, such as images, style sheets and scripts.
The most common use of web servers is to host web sites but there are other uses like data storage or for running enterprise applications.
The web server provides the content and the web browser displays it to the user. At the simplest,a web server sends static files, such as static HTML or image files, through an HTTP connection to a web browser.
Modern web servers do far more, however. When a web server receives a request, some of the actions it takes are to:
1. Verify that the request is structured legitimately.
Sometimes, malicious clients send malformed web requests to compromise web servers. Web servers must be able to detect this and respond appropriately—usually by ignoring the request.
2. Authenticate itself.
If the server has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate and the request was made with HTTPS, the web browser uses the certificate to authenticate the server. The web server will also encrypt all content before returning it to the web browser.
3. Authenticate the user.
If the content requires authorization, the web server verifies that the user has submitted credentials. If the user has not been authenticated, the web server redirects the user to an authentication form.
4. Authorize the user.
After the Web server authenticates the user, the web server verifies that the user is allowed to access the requested content.
5. Determine how to handle a request.
If the web browser requested static content or was simply determining whether cached content could still be used, the web server can directly respond. If the web browser requested an ASP.NET page, the web server must forward the request to ASP.NET.
6. Handle errors.
If a server cannot process the user’s request, it provides error information to the web browser.
7. Cache output.
Web servers can cache output to improve the response time of subsequent requests. Web servers also provide caching information to web browsers, so browsers know how long to keep content cached.
8. Compress output.
Before returning a page to a web browser, a web server can compress the content to reduce the bandwidth required.
9. Log access.
Web servers typically record usage information for security and performance-monitoring purposes.
For more information about web server see following links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_server
http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/basics/what_is_web_server.php
http://create-website.org/concepts/webserver.html
