1 Distinct characteristics of C/S 2

Client-server is a computing architecture which

#01

separates a client from a server
It is almost always implemented over a computer
network

Client/Server
The most basic type of client-server architecture

employs only two types of nodes: clients and servers.

This type of architecture is sometimes referred to as

Computing

two-tier.
It allows devices to share files and resources.

CLIENT/SERVER COMPUTING AND WEB TECHNOLOGIES
Server provides the service

Client is considered as the customer requesting
the service

Distinct characteristics of C/S 3 Systems with C/S Architecture 4

File servers

The server service can be shared among a
File sharing and file processing Client
number of clients
Database servers Server

Passing file results

Clients must request or initiate the service

Example: Query in DBMS server Client

The location of the server in the network is
Typically one single request/reply
transparent to clients
Transaction servers

Transaction server includes DBMS and transaction monitoring

Transaction between C/S is message-passing

Server has remote procedures run online by the client
based

Web servers

C/S architecture is scalable
Super-fat servers and thin clients

horizontally (more clients can added)
Uses HTTP protocol

Vertically (more servers can be added) Client

HTML

The server is centrally maintained where as clients Internet Server Application
are independent of each other Client
Java

Client/Server Models 5 Two-Tier vs. Three-Tier 6

Where to push the application to
Same basic idea as fat-client versus fat-server

Fat clients

Depends on how the application is divided between

The bulk of the application is running on the client the server and the client

The client knows how the data is organized and where it is

Two-tier servers

Different clients access the same applications different ways

Fat servers
Examples: file servers and database server

The server more complicated
In this case the process (application logic) is buried

The clients are less complex within the client or server (or both)

More of the code runs on the server
Three-tier servers

The network interaction is minimized

Examples: Web and distributed objects

In this case the process is run on the middle-tier
Application separated from the user and data interface

They can integrate the data from multiple sources
Client Server
More robust and more scalable
Tier Architecture 7 Client (dumb) - Server Model 8

Presentation Business
Data Source
Logic Logic

Server
2 Tier - Fat Client Client
Client Server
Presentation Logic
2 Tier - Thin Client (or Fat Server)
Network
Client Server Application Logic

3 Tier
DBMS
Application Database
Client
Server Server

True Client-Server Model 9 Distributed Client-Server Model 10

Server Server
Client Client

Application Logic Application Logic

Application Logic
Presentation Logic Network Network
DBMS DBMS
Presentation Logic

Client/Server Computing 11 Client/Server Computing 12

Logical extension of modular programming
Clients and Servers are running separately on
appropriate hardware and software platforms for

with assumption that separation of a huge program into
their functions.
modules can create

the possibility for further modification
For example, database management system servers

easier development running on platforms specially designed and

better maintainability. configured to perform queries, or file servers running on
platforms with special elements for managing files.

All large modules need not all be executed within the

Components in Client-Server Computing
same memory space.

Client

the calling module becomes the client( requesting service)

Server
In client-server computing

the called module becomes the server (providing service).
Middleware major focus is on SOFTWARE
Middleware Software 13 calling called
14
procedure procedure

It is the (/) between client and server which glues
them together

arguments

arguments
results

results

Allowing the client request for a service and the
server providing it calling
procedure

Middleware can also be between server/server
(client)

Two broad classes
client stub server stub

General network transport network transport

arguments

results

LAN servers, TCP/IP, Communication stacks, Queuing
services, etc.

request message

request message
reply message

reply message

Application specific

Used to accomplish a specific task
called

Groupware specific: SMTP procedure

Internet specific: HTTP (client)

Database specific: SQL
Network

Remote Procedure Call Local Procedure Call

Six types of middleware 15 Six types of middleware 16

1. Asynchronous Remote Procedure Calls (RPC)
client makes calls to procedures running on remote computers but 4. Message-Oriented Middleware (MOM)
does not wait for a response
asynchronous sends messages that are collected and
If connection is lost, client must re-establish the connection and send stored until they are acted upon, while the client continues
request again.
with other processing.
High scalability but low recovery, largely replaced by type 2
5. Object Request Broker (ORB)
2. Synchronous RPC
distributed program may call services on different computers object-oriented management of communications
between clients and servers.
makes it possible to achieve this without detailed coding (e.g. RMI in
Java) ORB tracks the location of each object and routes
3. Publish/Subscribe (often called push technology) requests to each object.
server monitors activity and sends information to client when 6. SQL-oriented Data Access
available.
It is asynchronous, the clients (subscribers) perform other activities middleware between applications and database servers.
between notifications from the server.
Has the capability to translate generic SQL into the SQL
Useful for monitoring situations where actions need to be taken when specific to the database
particular events occur.

Computing Model 17 References 18

Farid Farahmand, "An Introduction to Client/Server Architecture"

Computing

Rajkumar Buyya, "Client/Server Computing
Model (the wave of the future)"

Albert Yau, "Client Server Computing",
http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~nd/surprise_95/journal/vol1/wcy/article1.html

Terminal Distributed
Host Model Computing Model

File Transfer Client/Server Peer to Peer

Model Model Model