# How does FileWave work?

FileWave combines the tools and services you use to manage devices from a shared administrative interface. FileWave Central runs on macOS and Windows, so administrators are not tied to one platform for day-to-day lifecycle management. The basic workflow is a push-pull exchange between FileWave Central, the FileWave Server, and FileWave Clients.

![nSWV8maZIS5jxVOW-embedded-image-ysytedxj.png](https://kb.filewave.com/uploads/images/gallery/2023-07/nSWV8maZIS5jxVOW-embedded-image-ysytedxj.png)

  
A FileWave administrator creates a **Fileset** on the **FileWave Server**. **Filesets** can contain applications, images, profiles, books, settings, or other content that is assigned to client devices. The **FileWave Client** receives a **Manifest** that identifies the assigned Fileset, then requests that Fileset from the server. A **FileWave Booster** can cache Filesets closer to clients so large deployments put less load on the server and network.

A basic FileWave environment may have one administrator connecting to one **FileWave Server** to manage a set of clients. Larger environments often have multiple administrators and one or more **Boosters**. FileWave handles the normal client-server communication for management and content delivery; inventory data follows its own flow.

To learn more, review the [Evaluation Guide](https://kb.filewave.com/books/evaluation-guide "Evaluation Guide") or the video-based intro course [FileWave Foundry: Onboarding Videos](https://go.filewave.com/foundry-onboarding "FileWave Foundry: Onboarding Videos").