A server is software or hardware that handles requests for services or information from client machines on a computer network. Servers are typically dedicated to a single function. For example, there are web servers, print servers, database servers, and application servers.
Just about any computer can perform as a server; however, to process even a moderatevolume of requests, specialized server hardware is needed. These machines are manufactured specifically to function as servers. For example, they have larger caches, faster processors, and more memory than a typical desktop computer. This makes them uniquely suited to handle high volumes of a defined set of tasks.
Contact centers with their software on-premises (not hosted) likely have several servers on site, possibly one for every primary application if it's a large contact center. This often requires special, disaster-proof rooms to house the servers and technical staff to maintain them. In contrast, contact centers that have their software hosted in the cloud have far less hardware to maintain because the software provider is responsible for that.
