Server overview =============== The OMERO server system provides storage and processing of image data which conforms to the :model_doc:`OME Specification `. It can be run on commodity hardware to provide your own storage needs, or run site-wide to provide a large-scale collaborative environment. .. figure:: ../images/server-arch.png :align: center :width: 75% :alt: Although getting started with the server is relatively straightforward, it does require installing several software systems, and more advanced usage including backups and integrated logins, needs a knowledgeable system administrator. You may find the :doc:`/users/clients-overview` user guide useful before working through the installation and maintenance guides provided in this section of the documentation. Developing the server --------------------- The server system is composed of several components, each of which runs in a separate process but is co-ordinated centrally. - :doc:`/developers/server-blitz` - the data server provides access to metadata stored in a relational database as well as the binary image data on disk. - :doc:`/sysadmins/dropbox` - a filesystem watcher which notifies the server of newly uploaded or modified files and runs a fully automatic import (designed as the first implementation of :doc:`/developers/Server/FS` referred to in the architecture diagram). If you are interested in building components for the server, modifying an existing component, or just looking for more background information, there is a section about the server within the :doc:`/developers/index`; the best starting point is the :doc:`/developers/Server` for developers.