Course
Content
Internet
7301 Home Page
Client-Server Model
As discussed previously, the Internet is a global network comprised of a variety of computers. All computers are specialized by the software they run. In the Internet world, the model describing the interactions between these systems is called The Client-Server Model of computing.
The Client-Server Model consists of 4 components:
An outline and a diagram of the process for transferring data in the Client-Server model is provided below.[ Click Here ]
Client
The Client is usually a software application, such as a Web browser, running on an end user's computer.
Server
In general terms, the Server is a software application running on the information provider's computer that responds to instructions (requests) from the client application.
Network
The Network is the communications infrastructure that allows for transmission between the client and the server.
Protocol
A Protocol is an agreed upon standard rule of communication.
In the Internet world, TCP/IP is the standard protocol used to transmit data over the network.
TCP/IP:
"TCP/IP is a suite of communications protocols that allows communication between groups of dissimilar computer systems from a variety of vendors." -- Definition from Geek.com
TCP == Transmission Control Protocol; ensures reliable communication between systems (quality control).
IP == Internet Protocol; manages movement of data from one system to another.
Client-Server Model
Transfer Process
The process of transferring data through the Client-Server Model generally works as follows:
- The Client software on the end user's machine -- a Web browser, for example -- sends a request for data to a specified server.
- The request for data is sent over the Network in an encoded fashion using the TCP/IP protocol.
- The Server software on the remote "host" machine receives the request and responds to it -- locating the requested data on its owns cluster of resources. The data is then packaged using the TCP/IP protocol.
- The packaged data is then sent back over the Network to the client software, completing the process.