The game runs multiple servers, each with a unique name for identification; these names were originally the deities of the world of Norrath. In technical terms, each "game server" is actually a cluster of server machines. Each individual machine is fairly powerful. The server machines are regularly upgraded to handle the world as it is expanded.
Once a character is created, it can only be played on that server unless the character is transferred to a new server by the customer service staff.
Each server often has a unique community and people often include the server name when identifying their character outside of the game.
Special Rules Servers
Some EverQuest special servers have or had different rule sets than the "standard" EQ servers:
  Zek - The PvP server. Players can attack each other with fewer restrictions than there are on the standard servers. All PvP servers were merged to populate Zek [need date], which follows the PvP ruleset of the original PvP server.
  Firiona Vie (FV) - The "Roleplaying Preferred" server. FV has a set of rules more friendly to role-playing. Some rules, make it attractive to non-role-players. Some argue this defeats the purpose of having a "Roleplaying Preferred" server.
  Stormhammer - The Legends server. For a higher fee this server provided a greater level of in-game customer service. Many players saw this as a way to charge players more money for a level of service which should have existed without the fee. In December 2005 Sony announced it was closing the Legends server.
  The Sleeper and The Combine - The Progression Servers. Initially these only offered access to the original continents of Norrath: Odus, Antonica, and Faydwer. There are differences, however: Odus includes the Warrens and Antonica includes Jaggedpine Forest, though these zones were added long after the start of the game. The expansion content available is determined by the progress of the players on those servers. The completion of designated tasks; such as defeating specific characters, completing particular quests, crafting of certain items; triggers the addition of later expansions. The Sleeper was eventually merged into The Combine, which is opened up through the Buried Sea expansion as of 14 February 2008.
European Servers
Two servers were set up to better support players in (or simply closer to) Europe: Antonius Bayle and Kane Bayle. Kane Bayle was merged into Antonius Bayle.