In this book, the worlds leading computer repair expert presents the first comprehensive guide to maintaining servers in any environment—from standalone small business servers to the data center. Scott Mueller begins by thoroughly explaining how servers evolved, how they are designed and implemented, and the unique issues students face in maintaining them. Next, he presents thorough coverage of every significant server component: microprocessors, chipsets, motherboards and BIOSes, memory, IDE interfaces, SCSI buses, I/O system hardware, network operating systems, and more. Mueller then turns to the issues and technologies associated with server-based data storage, including backup operations, disk subsystems, and storage area networks. He presents thorough coverage of network operations, fault tolerance, and power protection; as well as realistic guidance for working in server racks and server rooms. The book even includes a full chapter on Sun Microsystems servers. Along the way, Mueller demystifies everything from server design form factors to dual processor setups, RAID to blades, clustering, load balancing, replication, and InfiniBand. Each technology is covered from an OS-neutral standpoint, focusing on how it works, how to choose the right equipment, and how to install and repair it. Last but not least, Mueller walks students through the entire process of building, upgrading, testing, deploying, and maintaining a server. Appendices include a comprehensive technical glossary and list of acronyms to help students understand virtually any server terminology, no matter how arcane.