Client and Server Concepts
Client and Server Concepts
Client and Server Concepts
Client and Server concepts A network architecture in which each computer or process on the network is either a client or a server is called a client-server network. Each client or server connected to the network can also be referred as a node. The most basic type of client-server architecture employs only 2 types of nodes, client and server. This type of architecture is sometimes referred to as two-tier. It allows devices to share files and resources. Each client can send data requests to one or more connected servers. In turn, the servers can accept these requests, process them, and return the requested information to the client. A client typically interacts with end-users using a graphical user interface (GUI), whereas a server doesnt interact directly with end-users. Characteristics of Client-Server Architecture All the data are stored on servers, which generally have far greater security controls than most clients. Servers can better control access and resources, to guarantee that only those clients with the appropriate permissions may access and change data. Since data storage is centralized, updates to those data are easier to administer. Traffic congestion on the network is an issue in client-server systems. As the no. of simultaneous client request to a given server increases, the server can become overloaded. Client-server network lacks robustness; if a critical server fails, client requests cannot be fulfilled.