How a Single Physical Computer Can Be a Web Server & an Email Server
Computers would be far less useful if each machine could only complete one process at a time. We would need several computers to complete simple tasks that one computer could otherwise do. Luckily, programmers designed computers, including servers that host networks, to be efficient at running multiple processes at once. This is why a single computer can be both a web and an email server.
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Function
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In order to set up a web server or an email server, an administrator must install web or email server software. For example, Microsoft makes both web and email server solutions known as Windows Server and Exchange Server, respectively. A single computer can run both programs because web-based and email-based activity use different computer ports. Like a harbor, a computer or server communicates with other machines at specific points, known as application ports, and not all ports accept all activity. For example, the web (HTTP) uses port 80, while email traffic (via Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) uses port 25 for sending email and either port 110 (Post Office Protocol) or 143 (Internet Message Access Protocol) for receiving mail.
Features
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Web server software allows a computer to host different websites via the domain name system (DNS). This system translates domain names that are people-friendly, such as "domain.com" into Internet protocol (IP) addresses that pertain to the server that actually stores the information. It also enables a single server to host multiple websites or applications, despite the fact that computers traditionally only have one IP. Email servers are a part of an overall message system. Users can access email accounts via a browser-based tool such as Squirrel Mail, a program that some email servers use, or with an email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird, using either POP or IMAP protocols.
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Identification
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To access a website, users type in the domain name using HyperText Transfer Protocol, or HTTP. Most users type in a domain name; although they could technically enter an IP address to access a site as well. The inclusion of "HTTP" at the beginning of a domain name indicates which protocol the computer is using to access the host server. When a user accesses his mail via browser, he uses HTTP to load the actual website (for example, "http://mail.domain.com"), but the installed mail client (Horde and SQMail are two examples) accesses the mail server to receive and send messages. Email clients such as Thunderbird require the user to enter a POP server to fetch mail and an SMTP server to send mail. These addresses may appear as "pop.domain.com" and "smtp.domain.com," respectively.
Benefits
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Server management/control panel software such as H-Sphere or Cpanel integrates email service into the web control panel. This allows domain owners or resellers to access email from the same control panel they use to access their website(s).
Consideratons
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A server is similar to any other computer in that it does not have unlimited resources. The hard drive can only save so much information before it becomes full, and the network can only provide so much bandwidth (data transfer ability) before it runs out. When a server supports both web and mail applications, these resources may be depleted more quickly than if the server only provided support for one activity. Because of this, it is important for server administrators to monitor server activity.
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References
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