Discloses is a method of selective activation of server applications in a computer network system. The computer network system includes a server computer, a plurality of client computers, a set of server applications loaded on the server computer, and a given protocol stack for managing activation of the server applications. The method comprises the steps of a system administrator defining a plurality of states for the network system and specifying conditions to determine whether or not each of the server applications can be activated in each of said states. The given protocol stack then manages activation of the server applications in accordance with said specified conditions.