Filserver

Filserver, or file server, is a server that provides centralized storage and access to files over a network. It stores user data and serves it to clients, applying access control, quotas, and auditing.

Clients access shares using network file system protocols such as SMB/CIFS (mainly Windows networks), NFS (Unix/Linux), FTP/FTPS, or WebDAV. A file server can be a dedicated appliance, a software-enabled server on commodity hardware, or a virtual machine in a data center or cloud.

In typical deployments, a file server runs a specialized service or stack (for example, Windows Server File and Storage Services, Samba on Linux, or Apple filing services on macOS) and uses a storage subsystem that may include RAID, storage area networks, or direct-attached storage.

It may be integrated with directory services (Active Directory or LDAP) to provide centralized authentication and permissions.

Access control on a file server is implemented through share permissions and file-system permissions (for Windows NTFS, POSIX). Administrators define access rights, quotas, and audit logging to monitor activity.

Data security can be enhanced with encryption in transit (e.g., SMB 3.x encryption, TLS for WebDAV) and at rest (disk or file-level encryption). Regular backups, snapshots, and versioning protect against data loss.

Common use cases include corporate file shares, department projects, backup targets, and collaboration in multi-user environments. File servers remain a core component of on-premises IT infrastructure, though cloud-based and hybrid approaches increasingly complement or replace traditional setups.