client server and peer to peer Flashcards
A client-server network
The server is a powerful computer which provides services or resources required by any of the clients
A client is a computer which requests the services or resources provided by the server
role of the client
Terminals are known ‘clients’ of the central server
The client sends requests to the server
Waits for a reply
Receives the reply
role of the server
The server waits for requests from the clients
It may need to pass the request (e.g. for a web page) to another server – in which case, it becomes the “client”
Features of a client-server
A central server is used to manage security
Some files are held on the central server
Some processing tasks are performed by the server
Clients issue requests to the server for services such as email, file storage, backup and printing
Suitable for many different types of organisation, small and large
Can require specialist IT staff to administer the network
Peer-to-peer networking
A peer-to-peer network has no central server
Suitable for a small companies with fewer computers
No central server controls files or security
All computers can easily see files on all other computers
All computers can communicate with each other without going through a server
If a computer is switched off, data cannot be retrieved
What is Cloud computing?
The “cloud” is simply an imaginative term for Internet computing, using remote servers run by organizations such as Dropbox, Microsoft, or thousands of other specialist software companies
advantages of cloud computing
Some software does not have to be downloaded to the user’s computer. All the software and data files are held by the software manufacturer “in the cloud”
Software and data is accessible from any computer anywhere in the world
The data is automatically backed up so there is no danger of losing it
The software and data does not occupy space on the user’s hard drive
