What defines server-side services in the context of Dynatrace?

In Dynatrace, server-side services are defined by their ability to process requests and potentially span multiple machines. This characteristic is essential for understanding how modern applications are architected, particularly in distributed environments such as microservices or cloud-native applications.

Server-side services handle the backend logic of applications, processing incoming requests and providing the necessary data in response. They often interact with various components across different machines—from application servers to databases—which is a hallmark of distributed computing. Because they manage tasks that may require resources from multiple servers, these services reflect the dynamic nature of modern application infrastructure.

The ability to span multiple machines not only enhances scalability and reliability but also allows for the efficient use of resources, as tasks can be distributed among different servers. This concept is fundamental when utilizing Dynatrace for monitoring, as it enables insight into the performance and health of services in a distributed environment.

In contrast, services that operate exclusively on a single machine lack the complexity and scalability that characterize server-side services in today's application ecosystems. Similarly, limiting server-side services to only managing database calls does not capture the full scope of what these services do, as they can involve a variety of operations beyond just database interactions. Finally, services that directly interact with end-users are typically classified as