Client Server Computing

Outline
Meaning of Client Server Computing
Components & Functions of Client-
Server Computing
Client-Server Security
Advantages of Client-Server System
Obstacles of Client-Server System
Client
A client is also a person who requests
services, like a customer at a
restaurant.
A client is a computer used by a user
to connect to a network and make
requests to servers.
For example, a web browser is a
client software.

Client Characteristic
Always initiates requests to servers.
Waits for replies.
Receives replies.
Usually connects to a small number
of servers at one time.
Usually interacts directly with end-users
using any user interface such as graphical
user interface.

Server
A server is also a person who serves, like
a waiter at a restaurant.
A server is a computer that serves many
things to user, or client machines.
Server Characteristics
Always wait for a request from one of the
clients.
Serve clients requests then replies with
requested data to the clients.
A server may communicate with other
servers in order to serve a client request.
A server is a source which sends request
to client to get needed data of users.

Meaning of Client-Server
Computing
In Client-Server Computing, all large
modules need not all be executed within
the same memory space.
With this architecture, the calling module
becomes the client (requesting service)
and the called module becomes the server
(providing service).
Meaning of Client-Server
Computing
Clients and Servers are running separately
on appropriate hardware and software
platforms for their functions.
For example, database management
system servers running on platforms
specially designed and configured to
perform queries, or file servers running on
platforms with special elements for
managing files.

Component of Client Server
Computing
Client-Server Computing is dividing into
three components, a Client Process
requesting service and a Server Process
providing the requested service, with a
Middleware in between them for their
interaction.

Component of Client Server
Computing
A Client Server Process usually manages
the user-interface portion of the
application; validate data entered by the
user, dispatch requests to server
programs.
Component of Client Server
Computing
the Server Process fulfills the client
request by performing the service
requested.
After the server receives requests from
clients, it executes database retrieval,
updates and manages data integrity and
dispatches responses to client requests.
Component of Client Server
Computing
Middleware allows applications to
transparently communicate with other
programs or processes regardless of
location.
The key element of Middleware is NOS
(Network Operating System) that provides
services such as routing, distribution, and
messaging and network management
service.
Function of Client Server
System
File and hardware sharing
Managing disk quota
Setting file, directory and printer permissions
Checking files and directories
How to share a file, directory and printer
Setting up network printers
Setting up network printer sharing devices
Installing print drivers and setting the printer
properties
How to install and remove network applications

Function of Client Server
System
Network management
How to manage basic tasks such as user account modification,
eg setting up new users or deleting users from the system.
Ensuring understanding of which administrative tools
Check if the supplier has customized tools for schools to perform
user and network management in some form of batch
processing.
How to manage domains and trust relationships (grouping of
the computers).
How to replicate directories.
Adding and removing computers from your network.
Using DHCP manager (to set up the network structure).
Viewing and assigning IP addresses for setting up internet
access.

Function of Client Server
System
Security
Logging on and logging off
Change log-on password
Locking and unlocking computer
How to manage security tools
Check security measures remain intact
Undertake periodic network and security analysis
Customizing and manage desktop environment
Accessing the Internet safely

Function of Client Server
System
Remote access
Connecting to the school network from home
Accessing the Internet addressing
authentication and authorization
Managing and monitoring remote access
connections - accounting

Function of Client Server
System
Disaster recovery (Service Continuity
Management)
How to start up and shut down servers
Understand administrative alerts
View and manage event logs
Check server capacity and performance
Back up files to tape
Run virus scanning tools and install updates
Apply updates to known software problems in earlier systems
and applications software
Restore files from back-up media
Prepare and apply emergency repair disk

Client/Server security
Network environment has complex
security issues.
Networks susceptible to breaches of
security through eavesdropping,
unauthorized connections or
unauthorized retrieval of packets of
information flowing round the network.
Specific security issues include:

Client/Server security
System-level password security user
names and passwords for allowing access to
the system. Password management utilities
Database-level password security - for
determining access privileges to tables;
read/update/insert/delete privileges
Secure client/server communication -
via encryption but encryption can
negatively affect performance

Advantages of Client Server
Systems:
client-server architecture enables the
roles and responsibilities of
a computing system to be distributed
among several independent computers
that are known to each other only through
a network, so one of advantages of this
model is greater ease of maintenance.
Advantages of Client Server
Systems:
All the data is stored on the servers,
which generally have better security
controls than most clients.
Since data storage is centralized, updates
to that data are much easier to
administrators than what would be
possible under a P2P architecture.
Advantages of Client Server
Systems:
Many advanced client-
server technologies are already available
which were designed to ensure security,
user friendly interfaces, and ease of use.
It works with multiple different clients of
different specifications.

Disadvantages of Client Server
System
Networks traffic blocking is one of the
problems related to the client-
server model.
As the number of simultaneous client
requests to a given server increases, the
server can become overloaded
Disadvantages of Client Server
System
Comparing client-server model to
the P2P model, if one server fail, clients
requests cannot be served but in case
of P2P networks, servers are usually
distributed among many nodes.