The client-server model links computing equipment on a network.
The expression client server is used in the field of computing . In this context, the device that requires certain services from a server is called a client . The idea of a server , for its part, refers to the equipment that provides services to the computers (computers) that are connected to it through a network.
The concept of client-server , or client-server , therefore refers to a communication model that links several computing devices through a network . The client, in this framework, makes requests for services to the server, which is responsible for satisfying said requirements.
With this architecture , tasks are distributed between the servers (which provide the services) and the clients (who demand said services). In other words: the client requests a resource from the server, which provides a response.
Advantages of the client-server model
This type of model allows processing capacity to be distributed . The server can run on more than one computer and be more than one program. According to the services it provides, it can be called a web server , mail server or something else.
In networks structured under the client-server model, clients centralize different applications and resources on the server. The server, in turn, ensures that these resources are available every time a client requires them.
The client-server architecture is very important on the Internet.
The case of the Internet
It is important to mention that a large part of Internet services obey the client-server architecture. The web server makes websites available to the client, which the client accesses through their browser. The server, in this way, hosts the data that the client requests through the browser installed on their computer.
One of the "oldest" examples in this context is email , which demonstrates the principles of the client-server model every second of its operation. In this case, the client sends and receives messages that "travel" through communication networks, and these are hosted in "mailboxes" whose technical name is mail servers .
Unlike what happens outside of computing, in the field of traditional mail, the user does not open a material mailbox to look inside it for letters or packages, but must request a server (normally remote) to verify the presence of new messages and send you a response with the result. Every action relies on this relationship, so the client team is not self-sufficient.
Client-server architecture and multi-layer systems
Among the most common arrangements of the client-server model are multi-layer systems , according to which the server offers the execution of several programs so that several computers can request them according to their needs, so that the level of distribution increases.
One of the less apparent advantages of organizing servers and clients is that the processing and memory capacity of the latter should not be as great as that of the former, which benefits the end consumer by allowing them to use relatively old equipment to enjoy generally very advanced services .
For example, even though email seems like a very light and simple "application", servers must store colossal volumes of data to satisfy all their clients, and, consequently, perform very demanding searches and queries to answer all of them. your requests . When we search for a term in our mailbox to find a particular message, the server must review hundreds or thousands of files, and it does so in a fraction of a second, something that would be impossible in our homes.
Video game streaming systems for remote use are another example, in this case much more demanding than email, since the client can enjoy a state-of-the-art program in real time with a computer that simply allows them to receive the video. fluidly and send events from your controller, keyboard and mouse.