Name: Jayanth Jaidev

Student id: 94929

Suppose that you are hired to design a software architecture for a new small start-up bank.
Your manager wants to use the client-server style. Since the bank is small and new, it can only
afford to buy one server for the system and uses an open-source Apache Web server. The
manager also wants you to use the plain and simple HTTP protocol for the Web software.
Customers of the bank enter username and password through a bank Web site to manage their
accounts.

What are the good and bad effects of this client-server architecture in the area of these 3 non-
functional properties:
 software security
 software scalability
 software reliability

(Answer) The client-server model describes how a server provides resources and services to
one or more clients. Examples of servers include web servers, mail servers and File servers.
Each of these servers provide resources to client devices, such as desktop
computers, laptops , tablets and smartphones. Most servers have a one-to-many relationship
with clients, meaning a single server can provide resources to multiple clients at one time. An
image of client server architecture is shown in figure 1. [1]

Figure 1: Client-Server architecture.

When a client requests a connection to a server, the server can either accept or reject the
connection. If the connection is accepted, the server establishes and maintains a connection
with the client over a specific protocol. For example, an email client may request
an SMTP connection to a mail server in order to send a message. The SMTP application on the
mail server will then request authentication from the client, such as the email address and
password. If these credentials match an account on the mail server, the server will send the
email to the intended recipient. Online multiplayer gaming also uses the client-server model.
The advantages of client server model are:

1. Centralized backup is possible.

 Name: Jayanth Jaidev
Student id: 94929

2. The use of dedicated servers improves overall system performance.

Security: Security on these networks is good because all shared resource centers are

maintained.

 Since there would be multiple servers, there are possibilities that the security will be
compromised and there are properties that confidential and sensitive information to be
hacked and misused. Security in a computing environment is also a considerations in
the decisions to switch to client/server computing. Mainframes are very secure because
they are generally placed in 'glass rooms' with hardened infrastructure and controlled
access. Client/server systems are distributed and therefore more difficult to secure.
 The CIO (Chief Information Officer) must know the requirements of a computing system
in regards to security and reliability before making a decision to change from mainframe
computing to a client/server computing environment. The CIO must know about the
security requirements like securing confidential data and prevent intrusion in every
possible manner so that the information is not hacked[4]

Client-server networking security became popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as many

applications migrated from centralized minicomputers and mainframes to personal computer-

to-computer networks.

To design applications for a distributed computing environment they need to split LIN into two

parts: client (front end) and server (back end). The network model they implement is this client-

server model security that acts as the most commonly requested machine and most powerful

server machine with the user’s PC (client), which supplies the LAN or WAN. This requires

specialized networking operating systems. It provides user-level security and is expensive.

Hence to make the system more secure, it is more expensive.[2]

 Scalability-Client/server systems can be scaled horizontally or vertically. Horizontal

scaling means adding or removing client workstations with only a slight performance
 Name: Jayanth Jaidev
Student id: 94929

impact. Vertical scaling means migrating to a larger and faster server machine or adding
server machines. In the bank this means creating more server machines as the number
of customers increase to help a large number of customers at a given point of time. The
good effect of software scalability is that we can scale the software and system as per
the needs. The bad effect of software scalability is that as the number of clients
increase, some of the clients might get damaged.[3]

Reliability: Reliability and security is a concern for any corporate computer system.
These issues require special attention when considering a change from mainframe to
client/server technologies.
 Mainframes have a reliability of 99.9% The reliability of a client/server system is
dependent upon the design of the system and thus must be designed to meet the
business model of the company. If reliability is a concern the system can be built with
redundancy and backup servers but this will increase cost and complexity of the system.
 The system in the bank should have a reliability of more than 99.5 percent to ensure
smooth and safe functioning of the system and for the customers to have an excellent
customer experience. The good effect of client server architecture is that with a well
functioning main server, the reliability of the system increases substantially thus
increasing customer satisfaction. However if one of the connections or clients fail, it will
have a negative impact on the overall functioning of the system.

REFERENCES

1. https://cio-
wiki.org/wiki/Client_Server_Architecture#:~:text=Client
%20Server%20Architecture%20is%20a,a%20network%20or
%20internet%20connection.

2. https://medium.com/@kamalapujhari84/client-server-
network-examples-security-advantages-and-disadvantages-
57dd772e881d
 Name: Jayanth Jaidev
Student id: 94929

3.
https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E13203_01/tuxedo/tux71/html/intba
s3.htm

4.
https://rintintin.colorado.edu/~epperson/clntsrvr.rs.html#:~:text
=Reliability%20and%20Security,-Reliability%20and
%20security&text=Mainframes%20have%20a%20reliability
%20of,business%20model%20of%20the%20company.