Which type of server provides central administration and management of network users and resources?

• A. Directory server
• B. Web server
• C. File server
• D. Mail server

Answer: (A)

Directory services provide centralized administration of network users and resources. They store information about user accounts, groups, devices, and access permissions, handling authentication and authorization so admins can manage everything from one place. This central system often uses standards like LDAP or platforms such as Active Directory, enabling tasks like creating or disabling accounts, applying security policies, and enforcing access rules across the entire network. This is different from a web server, which serves web pages to clients; a file server, while it shares files, doesn’t inherently manage user accounts across the network; and a mail server focuses on handling email.