What's the differences between “server”, “workstation” and “desktop”?

Question

From a Linux book, I found the following text:

A typical Linux system will run six virtual consoles and one graphical console 

- Server systems often have only virtual consoles 
- Desktops and workstations typically have both

Could someone explains these three words please?

Answer 1

There is two ways to answer this question: from your question point of view (where linux can be) and from more general point of view (different types of hardware).

Below I am trying to answer your questions:

Desktop

Your normal computer. In that definition includes also laptops.

Workstation

High-end (typically professional) desktop computer, including more memory, better processors and so on. May include added redundancy (for example dual power source) too.

Server

Computer providing services to other computers, for example HTTP service or email service. When talking in context of this question, server can be any hardware from laptop, desktop to dedicated server hardware, including for example rack mounting and more reliable power source and better components.

Dedicated server hardware is specifically designed to be more reliable and have higher performance. Typically there is for example no powerful graphics card, no sound card and so on.

Answer 2

When start server, init start six virtual consoles(Alt+F1,Alt+F2,...,Alt+F6)

0        0  9646  0.0  0.0  3800  544 tty1     S     2010   0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty1
0        0  9648  0.0  0.0  3800  540 tty2     S     2010   0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty2
0        0  9649  0.0  0.0  3800  540 tty3     S     2010   0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty3
0        0  9650  0.0  0.0  3800  540 tty4     S     2010   0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty4
0        0  9651  0.0  0.0  3800  540 tty5     S     2010   0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty5
0        0  9653  0.0  0.0  3800  544 tty6     S     2010   0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty6

For desktop, also start graphical console(Alt+F7):

root      1056  0.0  0.0  93780  1460 ?        Sl   Feb18   0:00  \_ /usr/lib/gdm/gdm-simple-slave --display-id /org/gnome/DisplayManager/Display1
root      1070  2.4  3.1 234776 96332 tty7     Ss+  Feb18  77:16      \_ /usr/bin/X :0 -nr -verbose -auth /var/run/gdm/auth-for-gdm-sECtwI/database -nolisten tcp vt7
root      1644  0.0  0.0 103792  1300 ?        Sl   Feb18   0:00      \_ /usr/lib/gdm/gdm-session-worker

Answer 3

• You run a service for other hosts on machine you want to be reliable, and always up so clients can reach service; that is why you pick hardware and install type of software on specific host and call it a server. You don't need graphical interface for server; as nobody will work on that graphical interface; servers primary function is to be available on network and serve the data and services.

• Workstation utilizes services provided on network by servers, they have console, but (some) people prefer to work in graphical environment and distributions that are aiming to be desktop/workstation distros will offer environment with polished GUI and package groups to support various workstation/desktop activities.

Answer 4

Workstations usually are more powerful desktops to run more powerful computer processing, such as: programming, 3D Design, CAD, etc.

Answer 5

A work station and a server is pretty much the same in terms of hardware. You can turn you regular desktop computer to a dedicated server if you buy a server's program and all the other components needed for it. Example is window server 2008, the other version of windows server 2008 is Windows 7. If your home computer runs on Windows 7 than you have a workstation but if you prefer to run it as a server than you would have to buy Windows Server 2008 and configure it as a server.