CONCEPT NOTES

CLIENT SERVER COMPUTING

SUB CODE: MCA723

Faculty: Dr. Suresh Chandra Wariyal

Asst. Professor
 Unit I: Client/Server Computing:

In distributed computing, a single system image (SSI) cluster is a cluster of machines that appears to
be one single system. The concept is often considered synonymous with that of a distributed
operating system, but a single image may be presented for more limited purposes, just job
scheduling for instance, which may be achieved by means of an additional layer of software over
conventional operating system images running on each node. The interest in SSI clusters is based on
the perception that they may be simpler to use and administer than more specialized clusters.

Client-server computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks

or workloads between service providers (servers) and service requesters, called clients. Often clients
and servers operate over a computer network on separate hardware. A server machine is a high-
performance host that is running one or more server programs which share its resources with clients.
A client does not share any of its resources, but requests a server's content or service function.
Clients therefore initiate communication sessions with servers which await (listen to) incoming
requests.

Advantages of CSC:

 Greater ease of maintenance. For example, it is possible to replace, repair, upgrade, or even
relocate a server while its clients remain both unaware and unaffected by that change.
 All the data is stored on the servers, which generally have far greater security controls than
most clients.
 Since data storage is centralized, updates to that data are far easier to administer than what
would be possible under a P2P paradigm.
 It functions with multiple different clients of different capabilities.

2 tier architecture: This has 2 parts namely client (front end) and database (back end).The window
application generally developed in this technology.

3 tier architecture: Client-front end (request is given through client), business logic: Middle layer
(protocols are used for processing the request), Database:back end (response is given to the client).
Web applications are good examples for 3 tier architecture.

Rightsizing: is a concept which means to design new applications for the platform they are best
suited.

Smart sizing: re-engineering the business processes themselves, in contrast to downsizing which re-
implements existing automated system on smaller or LAN based platforms.

Porting: is a concept which says that we can import or migrate an application from one type of
system to another. But import is to design those applications in SDE environment.

DBMS storage in client/server computing is an important issue. It is a three level architecture

which has three levels viz external level, conceptual level and internal level.
 Unit II: Components of Client/Server application:

The Client: The client in the client/server model is the desktop workstation. Any workstation that is
used by a single user is a client. The client workstation may use the DOS, Windows, Windows NT,
OS/2, MacOS or UNIX operating system. In the client/server model, the client is primarily a
consumer of services provided by one or more server processors.

Client services:

a) Request for service b) RPC c) Fax/print service d) Window service e) utility service, etc.

RPC: In computer science, a remote procedure call (RPC) is an inter-process communication that
allows a computer program to cause a subroutine or procedure to execute in another address space
(commonly on another computer on a shared network) without the programmer explicitly coding the
details for this remote interaction. That is, the programmer writes essentially the same code whether
the subroutine is local to the executing program, or remote. When the software in question uses
object-oriented principles, RPC is called remote invocation or remote method invocation.

DDE: Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is a technology for interprocess communication under
Microsoft Windows or OS/2. Dynamic Data Exchange was first introduced in 1987 with the release
of Windows 2.0 as a method of interprocess communication so that one program can communicate
with or control another program, somewhat like Sun's RPC (Remote Procedure Call).

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) is a technology developed by Microsoft that allows
embedding and linking to documents and other objects. For developers, it brought OLE
Control eXtension (OCX), a way to develop and use custom user interface elements. On a
technical level, an OLE object is any object that implements the IOleObject interface,
possibly along with a wide range of other interfaces, depending on the object's needs.
Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA)

CORBA is a specification from the Object Management Group (OMG), a UNIX vendor consortium.
OLE focuses on data sharing between applications on a single desktop, and CORBA addresses cross-
platform data transfer and the process of moving objects over networks. CORBA support enables
Windows and UNIX clients to share objects. A word processor operating on a Windows desktop can
include graphics generated from a UNIX workstation.

Server operating systems:

Server-oriented operating systems tend to have certain features in common that make them more
suitable for the server environment, such as
 GUI not available or optional
 ability to reconfigure and update both hardware and software to some extent without restart,

 advanced backup facilities to permit regular and frequent online backups of critical data,
 transparent data transfer between different volumes or devices,
 flexible and advanced networking capabilities,
 automation capabilities such as daemons in UNIX and services in Windows, and
  tight system security, with advanced user, resource, data, and memory protection.

Examples: VMS, MAC OS, OS/2, Windows NT, LINUX, etc.

Unit III: Client server network

OSI model: The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is a product of the Open Systems
Interconnection effort at the International Organization for Standardization. It is a prescription of
characterising and standardising the functions of a communications system in terms of abstraction
layers. Similar communication functions are grouped into 7 logical layers. A layer serves the layer
above it and is served by the layer below it. The layers namely are: Application, presentation,
session, transport, network, data link and physical layer.

Communication interface technology:

Networking cables are used to connect one network device to other or to connect two or more
computers to share printer, scanner etc. Different types of network cables like Coaxial cable, Optical
fiber cable, Twisted Pair cables are used depending on the network's topology, protocol and size. The
devices can be separated by a few meters (e.g. via Ethernet) or nearly unlimited distances (e.g. via
the interconnections of the Internet).

Twisted pair cabling is a form of wiring in which two conductors (the forward and return
conductors of a single circuit) are twisted together for the purposes of cancelling out electromagnetic
interference (EMI) from external sources. This type of cable is used for home and corporate Ethernet
networks. Twisted pair cables consist of two insulated copper wires. There are three types of twisted
pair cables: Shielded, Unshielded and Foiled.

An 'optical fiber cable' is a cable containing one or more optical fibres. The optical fiber elements
are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the
environment where the cable will be deployed. It carries light impulses. It is expensive but has higher
bandwidth and transmit data over longer distance.

Coaxial lines confine the electromagnetic wave to the area inside the cable, between the center
conductor and the shield. The transmission of energy in the line occurs totally through the dielectric
inside the cable between the conductors. Coaxial lines can therefore be bent and twisted (subject to
limits) without negative effects, and they can be strapped to conductive supports without inducing
unwanted currents in them.

Ethernet IEEE 802.3: is a working group and a collection of IEEE standards produced by the
working group defining the physical layer and data link layer's media access control (MAC) of wired
Ethernet. This is generally a local area network technology with some wide area network
applications. Physical connections are made between nodes and/or infrastructure devices (hubs,
switches, routers) by various types of copper or fiber cable.

Token ring IEEE 802.5: local area network (LAN) technology is a protocol which resides at the
data link layer (DLL) of the OSI model. It uses a special three-byte frame called a token that travels
around the ring. Token-possession grants the possessor permission to transmit on the medium. Token
ring frames travel completely around the loop. Initially used only in IBM computers, it was
eventually standardized with protocol IEEE 802.5.
Internetworking Devices: Internetworking (a combination of the words inter ("between") and
networking; it is not internet-working or international-network) is the practice of connecting a
computer network with other networks through the use of gateways that provide a common method
of routing information packets between the networks.

Unit- IV: Data storage:

Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, is a technology consisting of computer
components and recording media used to retain digital data. It is a core function and fundamental
component of computers.

Magnetic storage uses different patterns of magnetization on a magnetically coated surface to store
information. Magnetic storage is non-volatile. In modern computers, magnetic storage will take these
forms:

 Magnetic disk
o Floppy disk, used for off-line storage

o Hard disk drive, used for secondary storage

 Magnetic tape, used for tertiary and off-line storage

Optical storage, the typical optical disc, stores information in deformities on the surface of a
circular disc and reads this information by illuminating the surface with a laser diode and observing
the reflection. Optical disc storage is non-volatile. The following forms are currently in common use:

 CD, CD-ROM, DVD, BD-ROM: Read only storage, used for mass distribution of digital information
(music, video, computer programs)
 CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, BD-R: Write once storage, used for tertiary and off-line storage

 CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-RE: Slow write, fast read storage, used for tertiary
and off-line storage

 Ultra Density Optical or UDO is similar in capacity to BD-R or BD-RE and is slow write, fast read
storage used for tertiary and off-line storage.

Network connectivity

A secondary or tertiary storage may connect to a computer utilizing computer networks. This concept
does not pertain to the primary storage, which is shared between multiple processors in a
much lesser degree. STORAGE AREA NETWORK (SAN) is a specialized network, that
provides other computers with storage capacity. The crucial difference between NAS and
SAN is the former presents and manages file systems to client computers, whilst the latter
provides access at block-addressing (raw) level, leaving it to attaching systems to manage
data or file systems within the provided capacity. SAN is commonly associated with Fibre
Channel networks.

NIC Cards: A network interface controller (also known as a network interface card, network
adapter, LAN adapter and by similar terms) is a computer hardware component that connects a
computer to a computer network.
 Unit V: Client/Server System Development:

Systems Administration

Like many things in life, the principle of "do it right the first time" applies to the long-term success
of your client/server application. Thus, it is important to ensure that client/server hardware is
specified and assembled according to organizational standards and tested prior to implementation.

Availability: Availability means system uptime.

Reliability: Reliability requires applications to be protected from overwriting each other and requires
shared memory to be accessed only by authorized tasks.

Serviceability: Most minicomputer and mainframe operating systems and hardware provide
diagnostic services that pinpoint the location of failures.

Software Distribution: In the distributed client/server model, executable software is resident on

servers located throughout the organization. Changes to system and application software must
be replicated across the organization. This presents a tremendous complication in
serviceability of these applications.

Performance: In the centralized minicomputer and mainframe environment, trained technical

support personnel and operations staff monitor performance on an ongoing basis.

Client/server computing provides an opportunity to reengineer the business process by using

technology earlier and in a more integrated manner. It does not eliminate the need to train for the
new process.

Training Advantages of GUI Applications: A major training benefit of the graphical user interface
(GUI) is the opportunity to provide an intuitive interface. Each time standard functions are used in a
GUI platform, they are invoked in the same way. Training the Technical Staff With the critical nature
of many client/server applications, downtime is a sensitive issue. Training of support personnel
becomes a major concern for organizations moving forward with client/server applications. Many of
the same techniques available to train users can be used in training the technical support
organization.

Database Administrator Training: Database administrators face additional challenges in a

client/server implementation when data is distributed. Even in single-site, a shared database
application, the client/server model typically leads to ad hoc end-user access.
End-User Training: End users should be trained once in the user interface standards defined by the
organization as part of the SDE.

The Future of Client/Server Computing

The single-system image is a reality. In the future, cheap and powerful workstation technology will
be available to everyone—with truly distributed applications using processing power wherever it is
available and providing information wherever it is needed. In the future, information will be
available for use by owners and authorized users, without the constant need for professional systems
developers and their complex programming languages. The future will bring information captured at
its source and available immediately to authorized users. The future will provide information from
data in its original form: image, video, audio, graphics, document, spreadsheet, or structured data,
without the need to be aware of specific software for each form. Successful organizations of the
future—those that are market-driven and competitive—will be ones using client/server as an
enabling technology to add recognized value to their product or service. The future is now for early
adopters of technology. By the turn of the century, the enterprise on the desk will be the norm for all
successful organizations. Laggards will not be price competitive, will not provide competitive
customer services, and soon will cease to exist.