Thin Clients Thick Clients

2. Communication A client that solely runs on

An independent client that
the resources provided by
does not require the server
2.1. Networks including the Internet the server and has no local
to run
storage
Networking devices are interconnected devices that allow Only provides input and
Thick client processes most
a fast means of data transmission within the network. receives output; processing
of the application
Networking benefits: done by server
File sharing - you can easily share data between Smaller purchase cost: Can function even if no
different interconnected devices expensive, demanding server is connected (works
Resource sharing - using network-connected output hardware is not required offline)
devices like printers, or can share the same software
Improved security: cannot
within the network No lag related to network
run unauthorized, harmful
Higher storage - can store files in network-connected problems
software
storage mediums.
LAN(Local Area Network) vs. WAN(Wide Area Network)
Peer-to-peer network model (P2P)
LAN WAN Decentralised network where each connected
computer stores data and operates independently as
Network that connects Network that connects
a ‘peer’, and can act as both a client & server.
devices within a small devices within a larger
Applications: Internet and Ad hoc networks
geographical area geographical area
Client-server vs. Peer-to-peer models
Only private ownership Private or public ownership
Transmission medium: Client-server Peer-to-peer
Transmission medium: PSTN
twisted pair cable, coaxial Centralized backup Lesser initial setup cost
or satellite link
cable or Wi-Fi Lesser network traffic: each
Files & resources centralized
Higher data transfer rate Lower data transfer rate peer can simultaneously
in server: prevents illegal
Lesser congestion Higher congestion receive data from different
resource usage
sources
Client-server Model Improved security: files are Can work even if a device
Server based network: dedicated server provides an stored on central server goes down, but Client-server
application (administration of users, security and which would be regularly model can’t work if server
resources) for the client computer to utilize scanned for malware goes down
Client-server Applications
Printer: manages print jobs from client computers Network Topologies
File Sharing: the client accesses software and user’s Bus
data files stored on the server
Proxy server
Email server: for sending, receiving & storing emails
Database server: manages DBMS
Domain controller server
Management of user accounts (IDs & passwords)
Client sends login request to server which
processes and grants request if user ID &
password recognized
Thin Clients vs. Thick Clients

Thin Clients Thick Clients

Single line (bus) connecting all devices with

terminators at each end.
Other computers can read the data being sent
from one to another computer.
 Unsuitable for heavy traffic since collisions occur. Bene ts Drawbacks
Star Less expensive and Doesn’t perform well
easier to with small
Copper Cable
install FlexibleEasier to charges.Affected by
make terminations electromagnetism
Greater
bandwidthImproved
security Lightweight: Needs expensive
Fiber-Optic
easy to installLess optical transmitters
Cables
signal boosting and receivers.
required; used in long
distance comm.

Wireless Networks: use radio waves (including WiFi),

microwaves, satellites to connect devices to networks
without cables.

Benefits Drawbacks
Can travel over large
Consists of a central server (‘Switch’) and all other distances since they Low frequency so
computers connected with a dedicated connection have largest range of transmits less data at
to each, hence server can send packets to Radio
wavelengthRelatively one time.Affected by
different devices simultaneously and bi- waves
inexpensive.Used for TV radio stations with
directionally. signals & mobile phone similar frequency
No collisions possible. comms.
Mesh
Emitting towers
Network setup where every device (node) is Larger bandwidth, can
Micro- expensive to
directly interconnected to the each of the other transfer more data at a
waves build Physical obstacles
devices (nodes) time
can interfere
Cheap with long
Easy to
distanceUsed for
Satellites interfereExpensive set
Satellite phones,
up
satellite radio broadcast

Ethernet
Most common wired medium of transmission, that
can be used to transfer data between LANs or WANs
Usually used in bus topology; since all data travelled
on a single wire there is a possibility of data
corruption by the “collision” of signals
This collision is prevented by the CSMA/CD (Carrier
Sense Multiple Access Collision Detection) method:
Before transmitting, device checks if channel is
busy
It is commonly used for wireless networks (such as If busy, device calculates a random wait time and
the Internet), via the mesh connection of routers waits that time, after which it begins transmission
Hybrid Then during transmission, the device listens for
Combination of two or more topologies. other devices also beginning transmission
E.g. when there is a connection between 2 or If collision, transmission is aborted and both
more LANs of different topologies devices wait different random times, then tried
Wired Networks: use (copper (twisted-pair cable or again
coaxial cable) or fibre-optic) cables connected to an Bit Streaming
Ethernet port on the network router Sequence of digital signals (bits) transferred over a
communication path at high speeds
Benefits Drawbacks Requires a fast broadband connection and some form
of buffers (short-term memory)
Bits arrive in the same order they are sent
 Bit rate: number of bits transmitted per second bene ts drawback
Two methods of bit streaming: Cannot access the
Relatively less technical
resources/data stored on the
Real-time On-demand knowledge required and easy
cloud, if there are bandwidth
Existing digital files converted to implement
issues
Event captured live via video to encoded bit-streaming
Poor data privacy, since there
camera that is connected to a format for broadcasting on Flexibility: Cloud Can Be
may be data leakage in the
computer the internet by uploading to a Scaled To Match The
multi-tenant architecture
dedicated server Organization’s Growth
(public clouds)
A link for encoded video is
Video signal converted to an
placed on website and the
encoded streaming video World Wide Web (WWW)
user clicks on link to view
signal Collection of web pages stored on websites
encoded streaming video
Protocols are used to transmit data across the WWW
Encoded video signal The data is streamed to a Internet (Interconnected network)
uploaded from computer to a buffer in user’s computer and Massive, open network of networks
dedicated streaming server the buffer stops the video Uses TCP/IP protocol, which uses IP addresses to
via cables or high-speed from being paused as the bits identify devices connected to the internet
wireless internet connection are streamed Access provided by Internet Service Provider
Server then sends live images As the buffer is emptied, it’s Communication used: wired, radio and satellite
to all users requesting it as a filled again thus providing Router in a network
real-time video continuous viewing Connects two networks together which may operate
Cannot be paused, fast- Can be paused, fast- on different protocols
forwarded, etc. forwarded, etc. Allows internal connections between LANs OR allows
external connection from the main LAN to a WAN
Importance of high broadband speed / bit-rate Router acts as gateway & firewall
User has to download and display bits at same time Usually will be attached to server or switch in a LAN
Router translates private IP addresses to public IP
If media is of higher quality, then higher broadband
addresses AND vice versa.
speed needed since each “frame” is of a larger size
LAN-supporting hardware
Real-time needs faster broadband speeds as
compared to on-demand, since there are a greater Switch: Connected to all devices in a LAN and can
number of users simultaneously requesting same simultaneously broadcast information to all devices
data Server: device/software provides specific function for
computers in the network
Cloud Computing
Network Interface Card (NIC)
Refers to the on-demand provision of computing
services through the internet Provides each device (an end-system) in the wired
Services provided include LAN with a unique (MAC) address to uniquely
identify it on the network
Infrastructure: Storage capacity and higher
processing power Allows each individual device to connect to
network
Platform: Software, testing & debugging resources
Public cloud vs. Private cloud Wireless Network Interface Card (WNIC): Provides
each end-system of a wireless (WiFi) LAN a unique
Public cloud private cloud network address to identify it.
3rd-party cloud service A private cloud is owned by Wireless Access Points (WAP):
provider grants access to one organization and is not Allows devices to connect to the LAN via WiFi
multiple parties, accessible shared with any other (wireless radio communication) instead of using a
via a browser organization cable
Usually built into router
The private cloud can either
Cloud service provider owns, Cables: A wired transmission medium that allows
be created and maintained
develops and manages the communication in wired networks
by the organization itself or it
public cloud through large Bridge
can outsource these tasks to
server farms Connects two LANs which work use the same
a third-party protocol, which can be two segments of the same
network
Benefits and drawbacks of cloud computing Stores network addresses for all devices (end-
systems) between the 2 networks
benefits drawback
A bridge looks for the receiving device before it
sends the message.
 Repeater Network Identifier (netID)
Connects two cables Identifies the network to which the host (device) is
regenerates the sent data signal over the same connected to
network before the signal weakens (attenuation) Host Identifier (hostID): Identifies the host within
to prevent it from being corrupted the network
Internet-supporting hardware ‘Classfull’ addressing used for IPv4 where different bit
Modems lengths for identification and impose restrictions on
Allows a device to connect to the Internet via a available address
telephone line. Subnetting
A transmitter uses a modem to convert digital Practice of dividing a network into two or more
signals (from the transmitting device) to analogue networks
signals that are then sent down the telephone IP addresses are broken down to 3 parts by not
line. changing the netID but partitioning the host ID into a
A receiver uses a modem on the other end to subnet ID and host ID
convert the analogue signals to digital signals so These subnet ID bits are used to identify each subnet
the receiving device can understand the data. within the network.
PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) Subnet masks are numbers that hides (masks) the
Refers to all telephone networks netID of a system's IP address and leaves only the
Channel used between 2 endpoints for the call host part as the machine identifier, allowing data to
duration via circuit switching be routed within the subnet to the appropriate host.
Lines active even during power outage Public and Private IP address
Bi-directional communication Public IP is provided by the ISP while Private IP issued
Dedicated lines by the LAN’s router
Telecommunication path between endpoints Public IP is unique and can be across the internet
Not shared with multiple users; it’s bought/leased whereas Private IP is only unique within LAN and
Able to host websites as well as carry phone calls hence can only be accessed within LAN
Allows continuous, uninterrupted access on Web NAT (Network address translation) required for
Cell phone network private IP addresses to access internet directly.
Wireless network spread over land areas divided Private IP more secure than public IP, since they are
into (hexagonal) ‘cells’ not directly accessible on the Internet and are hidden
Each cell is served by at least one base station by NAT
(transceiver), which uses a different frequency Range of IP addresses used for private IP addressing
range, as compared to adjacent cells, to transmit can never be assigned to public IP addresses
data Static vs. Dynamic IP addresses
Larger capacity possible since same frequencies
can be used, in non-adjacent cells Static Dynamic
Radio waves are usually used for transmission IP address will change at
IP address never changes.
Can be broadcast in all directions over a wide area regular time periods.
Portable transceivers (e.g. mobile phones) are able Static IP addresses are useful Dynamic IP address is
to communicate and access internet via base when websites need to relatively more secure, hence
stations remember a device for a long used where data privacy is
IPv4 vs. IPv6 time. Eg) VPNs whitelisting important

IPv4 IPv6 Faster upload/download Maintaining cost of dynamic

speeds IP address is lesser
32 bit address, split into 4 128 bit address divided into
blocks by “.” eight 16-bit blocks by “:”.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
Each block could have a value Each block can have 4 hex Unique reference address for the exact location of an
between 0 and 255 (00 to FF values ranging from 0000 to internet resource on the WWW
in hex). FFFF
IPv6 can be shortened by
removing >=2 blocks
E.g.255.0.1.255 containing solely Protocol: enables browser to know what protocol is used
zeroesE.g.2001:0db8:85a3::8a to access info in domain
2e:0070:7334 Hostname: Domain name
Location of server: path
IPv4 functionality Domain Name Service (DNS)
each IP address has 2 parts:
naming system used for computers or resources
having internet connection
Consists of a hierarchy of DNS servers which have a
URLs database of and their corresponding IP
addresses