System Architecture and Reliability
Which describes a client-server system?
- ARoles are divided between clients that request services and servers that receive the requests, process them and provide the services, and the work is shared over a network
- BComputers connected to a network are equal, and each acts both as a requester and as a provider of services
- CA single large computer does all the processing, and users' terminals only handle input and display
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Roles are divided between clients that request services and servers that receive the requests, process them and provide the services, and the work is shared over a network
A client-server system divides roles between clients that request services and servers that process the requests and provide processing or data, sharing the work over a network. Because data and processing are gathered on the servers, management and updates are easier. On the other hand, requests concentrate on the servers, so the servers' capacity and failures affect the whole system. Equal computers that take both roles are a feature of peer-to-peer systems, and a single computer doing everything is a feature of centralized processing.
- A. Correct. Roles are split between clients and servers to share the work.
- B. This describes a peer-to-peer (P2P) system. There is no dedicated server, and every computer takes both roles.
- C. This describes centralized processing on a host computer. The work is not shared.
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