What is the function of the web server in the recommended architecture?

• A. To monitor network traffic
• B. To store and manage data
• C. To face the Internet and handle incoming web requests
• D. To execute business logic on internal network

Answer: (C)

The web server’s role in this architecture is to sit at the edge and act as the outward-facing point that accepts HTTP/HTTPS requests from clients on the Internet. It serves web content and often terminates TLS, handling incoming requests and, for dynamic content, forwarding those requests to the application layer while returning responses back to the client. This makes it the gateway into the web tier, directly accessible from the Internet.

Other components in the stack have different duties: monitoring network traffic is handled by security or network monitoring tools, storing and managing data is the job of the database or data store, and the actual business logic runs on the application servers internal to the network.