What is the function of an email server?

The function of an email server is primarily to send, receive, and store email messages. An email server acts as a central hub that facilitates the electronic exchange of messages between users. It handles the routing of emails to their correct destinations using protocols such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) for sending emails and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) or POP3 (Post Office Protocol) for receiving and accessing them.

With this central role, the email server ensures that users can communicate efficiently over the internet, maintaining their message storage and allowing access across different devices. The other options provided refer to distinct functions: hosting websites pertains to web servers, managing hardware resources relates to operating systems or hypervisors, and performing data backups is a function of backup solutions or servers designed for that purpose. Each of these tasks is essential in their own context but does not pertain to the primary responsibilities of an email server.