In addition, there is a variety of software that allows network administrators to deploy virus scans and security measures to every computer in your network from one central server. In this way, you can cut down on the time it takes to protect all of your machines.

Increased Security, Reliability

Extra security and reliability are also built into the hardware. Servers are designed to run even during hardware or power failures, because they use redundant disk drives and power supplies. Compare this to a p-to-p network, where information stored on a computer can be lost if the machine goes down, and you'll see the obvious advantage to network servers.

Servers also feature hot-swappable components. These are hardware components that, if they fail, can be removed and replaced while the server is still running. Shutting down a computer just to repair a component can result in a loss of productivity, so this is a valuable feature.