Before the advent of cloud computing, servers were managed using traditional on-premises IT infrastructure. This approach required businesses to purchase, configure, and maintain their physical servers.

Typically, businesses would purchase servers from hardware vendors, such as Dell, IBM, or HP. The servers would then be installed in a data center, either owned and operated by the business or leased from a third-party provider.

Once the servers were installed, IT staff would be responsible for configuring and managing the servers, including installing the operating system, setting up the network, and configuring security settings. IT staff would also be responsible for managing software updates, backups, and disaster recovery.

Server management was a complex and time-consuming process that required specialized IT expertise. IT staff needed to be familiar with a variety of hardware and software technologies, as well as industry best practices for managing IT infrastructure.

Additionally, the costs of managing servers were significant, including the costs of hardware, software licenses, data center space, and IT staff salaries. This made it difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to compete with larger organizations that had the resources to invest in their IT infrastructure.

The advent of cloud computing has transformed the way servers are managed, making it possible for businesses to quickly provision and manage servers in a more cost-effective and scalable manner.