3.4. Server Roles and Functions

💡 First Principle: A server's role defines what service it provides to clients. The same physical hardware can run as a web server, database server, file server, or domain controller—the role determines what software is installed and how the server is hardened. Every role has specific resource requirements and security considerations.

Understanding roles is important for two reasons: the exam tests which role is appropriate for a given scenario, and the security domain (Phase 4) tests how to harden specific roles. Knowing what a role does is prerequisite to knowing how to secure it.