The term Web server is sometimes also used to refer to the physical computer that runs Web server software. Leading manufacturers of Web server computers are IBM, Compaq, Dell, and Hewlett Packard. Although any personal computer can run Web server software, it is best to use a computer that has been optimized for this purpose. To be a Web server, a computer must have the Web server software described above installed and be connected to the Internet. Every Web server machine has an IP address.

　　术语网络服务器有时也被用于指运行网络服务器软件的实际计算机。网络服务器计算机的领先制造商是IBM(国际商用机器公司)、Compaq(康柏)、Dell(戴尔)和Hewlett Packard(惠普)。虽然任何个人计算机都能运行网络服务器软件，但是最好使用一部为这个目的最佳化的计算机。作为一个网络服务器,一部计算机必须安装上述网络服务器软件且联接到因特网。每部网络服务器计算机有一个IP地址。

　　Aside from the generic Web server software packages, there are actually many types of specialized servers on the Web, from database servers that access specific information with a database, to ad servers that deliver targeted banner ads, to mail servers that provide mail messages, and video servers that provide video clips. At a small e-commerce site, all of these software packages might be running on a single machine, with a single processor. At a large corporate site, there may be hundreds of discrete machines, many with multiple processors, running specialized Web server functions described above.

　　除了一般的网络服务器软件包之外，网络上其实还有许多类专用服务器, 从访问数据库特定信息的数据库服务器, 到递特定标题广告的广告服务器,到提供邮寄信息的邮件服务器,以及提供视频剪辑的视频服务器。在一个小型电子商务网站，所有的这些软件包可能在一部具有一个处理器的机器上运行。在一个大公司的网站,可能有数百台分布的机器, 多数具有多个处理器,运行上述特定的网络服务器功能。

    A Web client, on the other hand, is any computing device attached to the Internet that is capable of making HTTP requests and displaying HTML pages. The most common client is a Windows PC or Macintosh, with various flavors of UNIX machines a distant third.

　　另一方面，网络客户机是指任何一种联接到因特网、能够发出HTTP请求并显示网页的计算装置。最常见的客户机是采用Windows操作系统的个人计算机或麦金托什机,各种不同风格的UNIX机远远排在第三。