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 PCCOMpatibles. 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.