Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

application server
     
        1.   A {designer}'s or {developer}'s suite of
        {software} that helps {programmers} isolate the {business
        logic} in their {programs} from the {platform}-related code.
        {Application} {servers} can handle all of the {application}
        {logic} and {connectivity} found in {client-server}
        {applications}.  Many {application} {servers} also offer
        features such as {transaction management}, {clustering} and
        {failover}, and {load balancing}; nearly all offer {ODBC}
        support.
     
        {Application} {servers} range from small {footprint},
        web-based {processors} for intelligent appliances or remote
        {embedded} devices, to complete environments for assembling,
        deploying, and maintaining {scalable} {multi-tier}
        applications across an {enterprise}.
     
        2.   Production {programs} run on a mid-sized
        computer that handle all {application} operations between
        {browser}-based computers and an organisation's back-end
        business {applications} or {databases}.  The {application}
        {server} works as a translator, allowing, for example, a
        customer with a {browser} to search an online retailer's
        {database} for pricing information.
     
        3.   The device on which {application} {server}
        {software} runs.  {Application Service Providers} offer
        commercial access to such devices.
     
        {Citrix Application Serving White Paper
        (http://www.citrix.com/press/corpinfo/application_serving_wp_0700.pdf)}.
     
        {Application Server Sites, a list maintained by Vayda & Herzum
        (http://www.componentfactory.org/links/appl.htm)}.
     
        {The Application Server Zone at DevX,
        (http://www.appserver-zone.com/default.asp)}.
     
        {TechMetrix Research's Application Server Directory,
        (http://www.techmetrix.com/trendmarkers/techmetrixasd.php3)}.
     
        (2001-03-30)