ABSTRACT
During the initial developmental stage of client/server processing, the role of the server was primarily restricted to functioning as a repository of shared files. Thus, the server was often referred to as a file server. As client/server technology progressed in tandem with the development of LAN technology, servers were developed to satisfy different applications. Because printing and faxing were commonly performed applications suitable for sharing over a network, they were a natural target for software developers looking to develop products that could be shared by employees within an organization. Thus, fax and print servers were introduced as logical extensions to file servers, operating either as modules on the same hardware platform or as stand-alone network-connected devices.
