Server roles, Services, and Features

Roles

A server role is a set of software programs that, when they are installed and properly configured, lets a computer perform a specific function for multiple users or other computers within a network. Generally, roles share the following characteristics.

They describe the primary function, purpose, or use of a computer. A specific computer can be dedicated to perform a single role that is heavily used in the enterprise, or may perform multiple roles if each role is only lightly used in the enterprise.

They provide users throughout an organization access to resources managed by other computers, such as Web sites, printers, or files that are stored on different computers.

They typically include their own databases that can queue user or computer requests, or record information about network users and computers that relates to the role. For example, Active Directory Domain Services includes a database for storing the names and hierarchical relationships of all computers in a network.

As soon as they are properly installed and configured, roles function automatically. This allows the computers on which they are installed to perform prescribed tasks with limited user commands or supervision.

services

The role services are the programs which define the functionality of a role.

When a user installs a role, he/she has an option to choose the different role services to support the functionality in the enterprise for users and computers.

Some roles like a DNS server have only one function along with no other role services.

Some roles, however, provide multiple role services, like Remote Desktop Services, which depend on the needs of your enterprise regarding the remote computing.

A role is a logical collection of related role services, which are complementary to each other, and the installation of a role usually involves the installation of one or more of these role services.

Features

Features are programs, which help in fulfilling or enhancing functions assigned to one or more roles or otherwise improve the performance of a server installation when no role is installed.

Example: Functionality provided by Failover Clustering regarding redundancy and performance benefits for roles like File Services and DHCP Server by enabling the joining of clusters for those servers.

Example: Telnet Client feature for remotely accessing a telnet server across a network to improve the server’s communication capabilities.