Hardware and software that together provide file-handling and storage functions for multiple users on a {local area network}.The most common choices for file server software are Sun Microsystems'Network File System for Unix and Novell Netware for IBM PC compatibles.There is also a version of NFS for PCs called PC-NFS.Storing files on a file server saves having multiple copies stored on individual computers, thus economising on disk space and also makes chefistrating and updating the files easier.